I Was Promised a Sun
by falseking
Summary: After loosing someone close to her heart, Evalyn Lewis is broken and very much not herself. She's on a dangerous path, seeking justice for the lost soul. Along the way she meets some interesting characters who are just as unsure of her as she is with them. Two teams eventually become one and Eva can't help but wonder.. If time really does heal all wounds. Dean/OC.
1. Prologue

**I do not own Supernatural. What I do own, is whatever and whoever you do not recognize and possible future cases!**

"I'm so tired.."

The words fell from my lips in a great, exhausted and almost defeated sigh. The long, dirty nails of my fingertips grazing along the long stretch of boring white wall, letting my digits dance over the slick and now barren tables that rested up against it. My tired eyes lingering on ugly, abstract paintings and the scattered, professional photographs of a young woman dressed to the nines. Old boots trudged through the mess that littered the floor with carelessness. Crunching glass beneath every step and kicking tiny objects across the hall.

"So tired of playing your fucking game," I spat as my sheathed foot took a swing at an empty vase sitting just at the entrance of the kitchen, sending large chunks soaring through the air, sliding across the clean, checkered tile as they landed. My palms began to sweat as fists clenched tighter and tighter before a quick release, only to return to the fist seconds later.

Falling against the wall, I allowed my eyes to slip shut. Trying to contain the fire that was rapidly building under my skin with every passing moment of silence.  
"Give it up, sweetheart," I called out into the darkness. "The longer you run, the longer you have to suffer." The venom that fell with every word was still so alien to me. My body would freeze for just a shred of time, along with my heart while my brain went haywire as I tried to decipher this new voice. This new being. But as quickly as I would shut down, I would start back up as I realized there was no new presence. There was only my shell, filled to the brim with hatred as I stalked the halls of this beautiful and now slightly broken home.

"Hey!"A voice cried out from the distance.

The snap in my neck was disgustingly audible as my attention was brought to the floor above me. Soon after, a struggle could be heard as bodies fell to the floor with a loud thud, bringing a sick smile to my cracked lips.  
Turning on my heels, the shattered glass grinded into the wooden floor before being kicked back as I made my way towards the carpeted stairs near the front entrance. The railing serving as a drum as the long, dagger tapped against it in an unorganized rhythm until I had reached the last step. At the end of the hall a door swayed, revealing a fresh dent in the once oh so perfectly painted wall, showing signs of great force.

"Leah?"I called out. Feeling a slight wave of panic rise within me when she didn't respond immediately. But when she had, it was a mere grunt and furious banging on the floorboards as feet kicked.

With quick steps, I moved towards the door, pushing it back to rest against the abused wall behind it. There was a short lived gasp of excitement over the sight that lay before me. Hair that was once pulled tightly into a bun had been torn loose. The now dark, mangled locks acted as a curtain to hide the certain scowl of my companions face. Beneath her, a bruised and battered woman. Her lightly freckled face stained with running make up and dark chocolate eyes filled with such hopelessness as she caught sight of me. Now aware that the possibility of her second escape was now nearly impossible, she began to thrash about and scream at the top of her lungs, which was cut short as Leah delivered her a quick smack across the face.

"I knew you'd catch her!" I expressed happily, taking slow steps around the couple in the center of the room. Thanking and congratulating her on a job well done, like I always did . She muttered out a "Thanks," as the young girl continued to fight against the weight of her captor.  
"She's a lot more feisty than I thought." Without releasing her hold on the victim, she looked up to me, her hair still blanketing her face. But not enough to hide the dark, shiny substance that adorned the side of her face.

"Leah!" Squatting down to her level, I brushed the hair away to examine the cut on her cheekbone. With a scowl now on my face, I looked down to meet the girls puppy like eyes and spat, "Well that doesn't help your case at all." Her eyes squeezed shut, forcing more tears to spill from the corners as she quietly prayed for some sort of miracle to shine down on her. I almost laughed at this pitiful sight and her cry for help from someone who wasn't even there. But that would take away the last shred of humanity within me, and I wished to hold onto at least some of whatever was left. So I held my palm over my mouth, pulling down on the flesh to keep that smile at bay. The smile of a monster within me. The monster that she and her friends had unknowingly created.

When the girl had finished with her prayer, she turned to me. "Please," Her beg was softer than a whisper. And that word.. That one word had triggered something inside of me. Like the moment before I had taken my last prisoner, I felt the hatred rise like bile in my throat.

"Move," I growled. Leah quickly obliged, giving blondie a split second of freedom, which she spent thrashing about as she tried to crawl away. Her arms were pinned down by my knees, vision once again blocked by a mass of hair that spilled over her face. The weapon I had kept at my side this entire time, now resting against my teeth. Lightly picking at every curve and crevasse as I pondered over how to use it first.

"What was that?"

Her form was trembling now as she tried to choke out the plea again. "You don't have to do this."

I huffed with yet another grin forming. "Oh.. But yes-I-do!" I shouted as the knife was pulled from my teeth and brought down right next to her pretty face, cutting off quite a large chunk of hair.

Before she had time to register what was happening, I had removed myself from her, gripping the collar of her shirt and pulling her up to her feet. In the blink of an eye, her back had collided the wall violently. Shaking it so much that her mirror had fallen and shattered at her feet.

"It seems that you've seen one too many movies, Princess. In real life, it's an eye for an eye. And in this case..a life for a life." Her once sleepy and red eyes widened at that. I could practically see the night play out in her misty eyes. "Oh.. It's finally clicked in your tiny little brain, has it?" "Please, I'm so-" Her body was plucked from the surface for just a spare moment before meeting it with a much more force. Her cry ignored as I pressed my elbow into her throat.

"I wonder.. I wonder how many times she begged for her life? I wonder, at what point, did you realize that you had made your date with death? Was it the moment you watched her bleed out? Or was it when we came knocking on your door?"

Her attention had slowly drifted beyond me. Falling on the other side of the room where her collection of porcelain dolls sat in peace. Forever collecting dust. She seemed more so calm now. Like she had begun to accept the consequences of her past actions. Though there were still those few moments where she would blubber, before taking a deep breath to recollect herself.

"I'm sorry-" "Don't you apologize to me!" With a quick motion, her body had been flung back to the floor. She didn't even try to stand or to crawl away this time. Instead she desperately wiped her stained cheeks with the sleeve of her sweater. "Apologize to her!" "What I did was wrong!" She tried to argue. "I should have done something.." "But you didn't!" Lowering myself over her, I grabbed a fistful of her hair and forced her to meet my gaze. "You're only regretting it because you got caught." "No! I promise I-"

"Enough!" Leah roared from the doorway, where she stood tall with her arms crossed and a foot tapping. "We don't have all night, Eva. We've been fooling around for too long. Let's finish this and get back to the damn house."

With a sigh, my face fell and my grip on the girl loosened, though I did not remove the weight from her form. "Every time I try to have some fun-" "I know, I'm a party pooper," She teased with the tiniest of smiles. "But we really do have to leave soon." "Oh, fine," I groaned in reply.

"Wish I could say that I was sorry, Alexis. But this is what you have reduced me to." Reaching just past her, I ripped the knife from its place within the floor, watching as her eyes slipped shut, waiting for the blade to pass through her flesh.

The weapon glided lightly over her. Slipping in between her shoulder blades before coming to a point as it rested at the base of her back, pressing down just enough to get a reaction out of her. Which was a small whimper as her body jolted forward to try and escape the puncture.  
The knife was quickly pulled away and placed back in its sheath before being slipped into my pocket.

"We've already made a pretty big mess."

Releasing the cluster of hair, both hands moved to either side of her head and...in one swift motion, it was over. Her body fell limp as my hands recoiled. Fingers stretching and wiggling in the open air, trying to shake the disgusting feeling of death from my being. But I was stained. No amount of boiling hot water and soap could clean this stench from my hands.

"Finally," my partner exhaled. Like she had been holding her breath in anticipation this entire time. "I'll start cleaning up the downstairs. Meet me there in ten?" I acknowledge her request with a silent nod. My attention not moving from the still girl that lay beneath me for even a second.  
Leah's ratted converses squeaked as she turned on her heel, her steps growing softer and softer the further she got. Leaving me in peace with my second victim.

Lifting myself from her, I sat off to the side, digging my fingers into her hip as I pulled her over to lay on her back. Her half lidded eyes now empty as they looked up at the ceiling.

Reaching out, I began to brush away strands of hair that stuck to her face with the softest of touches, smiling sadly. "She was going to have a big sleepover, yannow.. For her nineteenth. I was going to give her the house for the night. Let her do whatever she wanted and have all of her friends over.. And you know what? You would have been the first to receive an invite." With my bottom lip slipping in between my teeth, I managed to pull my attention away from the corpse. Staring down at my feet as I slowly rose from the floor, taking a simple step over her still form and moving for the empty doorway.

"I hope you got to enjoy what her life paid for."

**/ / Well, there we have it! I've taken the plunge and begun my first Supernatural FanFic. I know it started out pretty..dark but do not fear! 'tis only the prologue~  
Reviews would be greatly appreciated!**


	2. Role Model

**Finally! An actual chapter.**  
**I own whatever or whoever you don't recognize~**

"2:45" the clock read.

The thin, silver hands jerking every so slightly with every passing second. Slowly dancing over the ever so fluffy face of a Siamese cat resting in the center of said clock, surrounded by a pink canvas, forever appearing unamused by the prison she would spend a lifetime in. Her icy grey eyes piercing through you as she stared you down. It didn't matter where you sat in the room, she always seemed to find you. Her ultimate goal was to make you shift in your seat as you sat in peace. Uncomfortable at the thought of always being watched, until you had given in, returning the space to her in silence. Having had this interesting object in my possession for over three years now, I had since grown immune. I would occasionally make eye contact, smiling at the fancy text beneath her brown paws, "Who fucking cares." and nod in approval of her attitude, rather than meeting her gaze and simply fading away. But these days, she was simply part of my life. Rarely acknowledged unless someone had brought her up, forcing me to tell her very short story and how she came into my life.

Today was different. Much, much different. Instead of shoving her to the side, she served as my only company as I stared down at my half empty mug of coffee. The dark blue rim now smudged with red lipstick and the dried, brown liquid that spilled into my mouth every other minute. With fingers tapping against the thick object, my attention moved about. Leg bouncing with anticipation, shaking the stool beneath my form causing me to sway lightly.

I admired the decorations that adorned this section of my home. Some old, some new. Some not even my idea, though letting them slide in order to bring a smile to a certain someone's face.

Steel butterflies of various sizes flying in a pattern over the wall, silly signs and posters my mother had bought for me that I had sworn to myself I would never use in my own house. Just above the empty threats etched into wood and the amusing quotes inked onto paper, rested a cluttered nook. Shot glasses of different heights and many colors sat beside a short line-up of black "Pimp Cups", all empty and collecting dust. Safe for two Cups that had been used just the other night to drown much sorrow. Right in the center of these glasses, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi and a tiny Jawa all in Bobble Head form. You could say I had a very small obsession with collecting these nerdy objects. And I was oh so proud of them.

"I did the right thing," I stated with a sigh. The hot breath tickling the delicate skin of my lips. "I did.. Didn't I? I mean, it's not forever. I just need some time. Just a little break to sort my shit out." Eyes falling down to the coffee, I frowned at my small reflection. So tired and beat down by life's busy schedule. "I just need some time.." The cup was raised and brought to my lips, delivering the lukewarm caffeine to my already jittery body. As I swallowed, I met the cold gaze of my only friend just across from me and with brows furrowed, I lowered the mug back to the table. Revealing my mirrored expression as we stared one another down for a few silent moments. My knee still rising and falling in rapid fire.

"You know, BomBom.. You are terrible company."

In the distance, a faint clicking as the lock on the front door was fiddled with. Seconds after, a light from then outside world entered my home, along with a tall shadow as the new presence stood in the doorway. "I'm home! Oh, and I smell coffee," The girl sang happily. Her shoes smacking against the wooden floor after she had closed the door. Eager to get a taste of what should have been made hours ago, before either of us had left the house.

Our eyes met the instant she had rounded the corner. Her cheeks flushed from the chilled winds and once neatly braided hair tousled and undone. Her rosy, cracked lips stretched into a smile as she gave me a look-over. "Well you look cute!" "Wish I could say the same," I teased. Her expression immediately fading into shock as she gasped loudly. "I'm kidding! You look...decent." The smile returned, though just barely as she scoffed and moved towards the pot of coffee. Giving me a playful shove as she went. "Dick," she mumbled. Her backpack quickly dropping from her shoulder before being placed on the island, where it would remain for the next two days until she returned to her personal hell.

"Did Mr. Wheeler like that paper of yours?" At that, the cupboard door was slammed shut and her cup placed down unnecessarily rough. "Uh oh," I chuckled in her expense. "He fucking hates me!" "He doesn't hate you, Tyler." "He does!" Filling her cup to the brim, she returned the large pot to the machine and moved to sit across from me. Popping the cap to a tall bottle of White Chocolate Caramel Creamer, and practically dumping it into her drink.

"You read it, right?" I nodded. "It was good, right?" "It was better than good." "Thank you! Now tell him that!" Closing the lid, she pushed it off to the side and took a large swig of the sweet caffeine, sighing in relief as she felt it warm her body.

"I honestly don't think he even reads our work-my work.." "Well, we'll just have to buy some big flashing lights for every paper you turn in. Won't we?" She smiled at that. Her fingers aimlessly fiddling with one another as she stared down at the mug in silence, before lifting her head. Replacing her darkened, hateful eyes with her usual sparkling diamonds. "What about you? Any college gossip?" The overly active leg had suddenly stopped bouncing. My hold on the drink now just a little tighter as I stared off into space.

This was the moment I had been dreading. The moment where I told my baby sister that I just couldn't cut it. Show her that I was too weak to juggle all of my priorities, letting her look up to a failure. Maybe I could weasel my way out of it? Save it for a rainy day.

"Well," I started up. My spine straightening as I awkwardly flipped hair from my face. "William got some girl knocked up." "What a surprise." She stated with a blank expression. " Uh.. I got hit on by a lesbian." Then, she was intrigued. Leaning forward, she placed her elbows on the counter and rested her chin in her palms.

"Do tell!" "I-I-well.. I didn't have enough change for the vending machine and she just swoops in with her money and buys me a ton of snacks-" "Sounds like flirting, alright." She mused. Clearly unimpressed by my story. "She winked at me and touched my butt as she left." Slapping a hand over her mouth, she did her best to muffle the laughter that so desperately wanted to escape. "I hope you didn't pass that up! Man or woman, you need to get la-" She was cut short, still chuckling as she caught sight of my wide eyes and mouth hung agape. "Tyler!" "What? Don't act like it isn't true." "Can my love life not come up as a topic for the rest of our lives, please?" I muttered. "And besides, its- "

Here we go.

"Even if I were interested-"

Come on. It's three simple words. Much easier than the other oh so popular three worded statement. It shouldn't be this hard to say.

"It wouldn't really matter," I sighed out.

Her brow cocked. The smile fading quickly as she slouched, now sensing the atmosphere had changed completely. "Oh?" "I more than likely won't be seeing William again. Or My Lesbian because I-" A big breath was taken, eyes slipping shut as the words fell out in the exhale. "I left college."

It took her a moment, like I knew it would as she struggled to register the statement. "Left? Like-" "Like dropped out." Her eyes widened at that. Silence swarming around us like insects. I hated it more than waiting all damn day to drop the bomb.

I watched her carefully as she straightened, her attention moving to watch the ripples in her coffee as she breathed down on it softly. Her pink lips tugging into a crooked smile as she let out a short chuckle. "You're laughing," I stated, dumbfounded. "Why are you laughing?" She met my gaze, her smile growing wider. "Oh, I'm just picturing the day you tell mom and dad." Her expression was mirrored on my own face as she struggled to finish her drink. "So.. You're not mad? Disappointed?" The almost empty cup as placed down, her brows now furrowed as she looked to me. "No? Were you expecting me to be?" "Well, it's just-I'm supposed to be the role model and-" She held up a slender hand. Her palms slightly stained with ink, possibly from a paper she rushed through earlier in the day. "I am in no way shape or form disappointed in you. The only time I'll ever judge you is if you get into hard drugs and start killing baby animals." I frowned at the thought. My stomach doing flips, churning up what little food I had violently, making me feel nauseous for just a moment.

"Well that's never going to happen, so-" The squeak of her chair silenced me as she pushed away from the table. Lifting herself up, she walked my way with a smile plastered on her youthful face as she wrapped her arms around my shoulders. "You're my big sister, Evalyn. I'll love you forever." Removing my vice grip on the mug, my arms snaked around her waist as I pulled her close. Receiving a kiss to my mess of hair. "I love you too, kiddo."

She gave me one long, painful squeeze before loosening her hold, but not fully letting go. "Does this mean I get to go tonight?" Frowning, I looked up to her. "Go where?" Her mouth hung open in shock as she finally peeled herself away. "You forgot!"

Puzzled, my expression remained blank as I watched the now moody teenager lightly stomp over to her side of the island. "Well yeah! I've kind of been trying to avoid multiple panic attacks over this whole college thing for the past two weeks!" "The party," She stated dully just before finishing off her coffee. "Oh.." Was all that fell from my lips. Still genuinely confused over what the hell she was talking about, which only raised more disappointment. Until I had finally remembered last weekend, she had come to me asking if she could go to some silly get together. "Oh! Uhm, that one girls party-" "Alexis," She replied with an eye roll and sigh. "Right! The girl you've been friends with for months. Yet somehow I have not met and judged her yet?" "I told you, she doesn't do well in those situations. They really freak her out." "Oh well!" "I thought you said you wouldn't do this, hm? Turn into mom?"

I scoffed, mildly offended by such words. "I let you get away with so much shit she never would allow! This is normal guardian stuff!" "Okay, okay!" Her hands were thrown up in surrender, empty cup in hand as she backed away until she reached the sink. "I'll talk to her tonight, okay? ..That is, if you let me go?" Her eyes widened and her thin lips formed a sad pout. Daring me to say 'no'.

With an exaggerated groan, I bitterly gave in. Chuckling dryly as she threw her fists up into the air in victory. "Maybe you could help me find something to wear?" "..Wear what you've got on?" Her eyes quickly moved down. Tugging at her loose, black shirt hidden beneath a denim jacket and a hoodie. She looked back to me, scowling in disgust. "No. I want to look..you know, nice." "Oh, so there are going to be boys there," I stated matter-of-factly as I removed myself from my seat, moving towards the sink as I too placed my cup just beside hers at the bottom.

"I didn't say anything abou-" "Hey, I may not be a teenager anymore, but I'm still a woman. I get it. When is this party?" "Well, the party doesn't start until like, eight. But she wanted me to come over early for some girl time, I guess." "Well then," placing my hands on her shoulders, I spun her around and began to push her towards the stairs. "let's not waste any time! There are boys to impress!"

While Tyler hastily showered, trying to remove any and all essence of school, I had rummaged through her closet. Picking out a few items I liked and piecing them together to make a whole outfit. Each option laid out over her terribly messy bed, welcoming her as she rushed in with a towel wrapped around her slender frame.

After drying herself and pulling her still long, damp hair up into a messy bun, she put on a half assed fashion show. Judging my tastes in silence as I hooted and hollered. Proudly tooting my own horn.

"Don't give me that look," I warned as I caught her glare in the full length mirror. "You asked for my help, I'm giving it to you. Besides, they're your clothes. You wear this shit." With a small chuckle and a shake of her heard, she removed the long, white button up and black leggings and tossed them into the corner with the other denied outfits. Which would more than likely be left unattended to until I gave her hell for it. Two outfits later, we had finally settled and come to an agreement on a velvet, red dress and a leather jacket to protect her bare shoulders.

With her sat at the vanity, I dried and brushed her soft wavy hair while she looked over all of her make up choices. Pulling her hair to rest over one shoulder, I pinned and sprayed it into place, hammering her with questions.

"What happens when you start feeling uneasy or unsure of something?" "I don't do it." Another pin. "When a stranger offers you a drink-" "I don't take it. Same deal when someone tries to lure me into their van with candy," she replied with a soft laugh, applying a clear gloss to her lips before slipping it into the pocket of her jacket. "When a guy doesn't have a condom?" Her pale face flushed, which was quickly hidden as she rested her forehead in her palm. "He doesn't get_ it_in."

Mom would kill me if she were here to witness this. If she ever got wind that I wasn't laying the hammer down on this kid about sex, she would quite honestly lose her shit and slap a Chastity Belt on the poor girl. I didn't care who Tyler slept with and how many times. As long as he was trustworthy and they were both incredibly safe about it.

"'atta kid! What happens when dumb-asses go down the dark alley? Or into an underground club?" She smirked as my hands rested on her shoulders, looking over her appearance in the oval mirror. "They die." Placing one hand to my heart, I let a sigh of relief and faked proud tears. "I've raised you so well. Alright, let's get you on the road!" Clapping my hands together excitedly, for a moment, I almost believed I was the one going out and not her.

She grabbed her small tote bag, slung it over her shoulder and followed me down the stairs, stopping on the last step to put on her boots. "And you're going to text me, right? Not every hour but, you know.. When you think about it." She stood tall, smiling up at me. Her eyes shimmering as the light from the setting sun danced through the window just above the front door. "I will." Giving her a quick hug, I watched her exit our home and easily glide into her car. As she turned the key, the car was immediately filled with a monstrous boom as some song played.

Her eyes widened in shock as she frantically tried to lower the volume. As the furious beats died down, we shared a look through the dirty glass. Chuckling softly at her own embarrassment. And with a wave goodbye, she had left me once again in the silence.

**Thank you for stopping by and having a read :**  
**Remember! Reviews let me know if I should continue to post or not.**

Love your faces 


	3. Angel

The afternoon was peaceful. Despite the numerous toddlers running amuck, falling and scraping their knees and then proceeding to wail as if their most prized possession had been thrown down into the sewers. Never to be seen or heard of again. Or to even be thought about after this very day. They'll wake up tomorrow and forget the pain of watching their favorite Barbie or action figure slip out of their tiny fingers. Only to be remembered years later, when they grew out of their toy phase and passed some old pictures, seeing the item in their once small death grip. "Oh, I remember that!" they'll say with a smile before simply flipping to the next page. Completely unphased.

Their parents would run to their spawn, collecting them into their arms as they hushed and rocked them from side to side in hopes to ease the hurt. Or simply felt that shouting at the young boy or girl, was the best way to go about a stressful day. Resulting in either more tears of sadness, or the shrieks of a temper tantrum.

I watched one in particular stomp around like he was a big shot. His brilliant blue eyes hidden under blond, soft, shaggy curls. The faintest of freckles dancing across the bridge of his nose and his cheeks slightly pink as he huffed. I never really cared for kids. Not that I didn't like them-okay to an extent, I didn't. I just could never picture myself sitting at home with a crying, screaming, pooping bundle in my arms that always managed to empty my wallet and sanity. I didn't have the patience, or anger management classes in order to handle such a life style. But if I were to have a child, I would want this boy. He was beautiful and had quite the personality that kept my attention.

He would pick a few weeds nearby from the Earth, trot over to his mother and lay them in her lap before running off to collect more. And while he did his running about, his Transformer toy hung from his mouth. Baby teeth holding it by its limb, chewing on it even though his mother tried multiple times to remove it.

At one point, as he sat and punched the soft sand surrounding the playground, we had met each other's gaze. He seemed dumbfounded at first, until I shared a small smile which he happily responded by giggling shyly and hiding his face. He would peek out from behind his dirty hands before quickly covering his eyes again once he realized I had not backed down. But a sharp clank had pulled my attention away from my new friend.

Now staring down at a red and black checkered board, I analyzed the placement of every game piece very intently.

"Oh come on!" I cried out in distress as I found a cluster of red plastic surrounding my last three pieces, leaving only a few spots open. Though each one a possible trap. "This is some bullshit!" Tyler did nothing but sway from side to side in pure bliss. She had won, unofficially. Like any other time we played Checkers. "I'm never letting you pick the games again."

Leaning forward, I studied the war zone. My hand reaching for a piece before quickly retracting. Unsure and terrified. When I had found my next action, I rather confidently moved in. Swiping the piece up and moving it over hers. Taking her piece and adding it to my very small collection off to the side. But almost instantly after my move, she had taken another one of my disks. Leaving me with two. There was no way I could come back from this.

Dipping my fingers under the thin board, I flipped it over. The pieces soaring up into the air and landing around us in a scattered mess. "Fuck this!"

She tried to calm me down between her chuckles. But to no avail. I continued to mutter, bitch and brag about how I truly shined when it came to games that required physical stress. Like Football, Capture The Flag and all of that other shit I was forced to be a part of in school.

"Yeah but," she cocked a brow, gesturing down at the now empty board. "checkers." "Shut up," I replied bitterly as I removed the flap of my large bag, pulling out two grilled cheese sandwiches, purposely throwing one at her head. She squealed, throwing her hands up and swatting the snack to the side. "Don't be a sore loser." "I will do whatever I want," I replied in a snooty tone as I hastily unwrapped the lukewarm bread, ripping a large chunk of it away with my teeth.

She shook her head, still smiling as she slowly peeled away the plastic wrap. "Remember our first picnic? No mom or dad around."

With an eye roll, I went down memory lane. Groaning as I remembered how difficult it was. At ten years old, I had decided that me and my sister, who was five at the time, didn't need adult supervision. I thought being a grown up would be easy, so I took it upon myself to make our snacks and prepare a basket. _That_, without a doubt, was the easy part. Handling my heathen sibling and the swarm of insects was not. She carelessly left her food out, allowing the ants to pile onto our blanket. And when she decided to go for a walk, she had dropped her ham sandwich into the dirt, but that didn't stop her from eating it. And when she found me to be too bossy, she would seek revenge by smearing pudding over my shirt. Resulting in a food fight that our mother wasn't too thrilled with.

"I'd like to think we've gotten better."

Scoffing, I continued to stuff the cheesy bread into my mouth, mumbling "You're still a little bastard when you want to be." "Back at ya." "How about the first time you tried to cook?" Her face flushed with embarrassment, quickly hiding it from my view. "So I can't cook for shit. Big deal. I always preferred Microwaved meals better." Leaning back, hoisted up by one hand, I replied "Good! Because I'm tired of slaving over a hot stove without so much as a 'Thank you'," I teased. Her eyes narrowed into a glare, her mouth hung open, appalled. "Ha!"

Finishing off my sandwich, I allowed my greasy hand to fall back, taking some weight off of the other as I looked up to the sky. Today, was truly a beautiful day. I hadn't been able to enjoy previous days like this one. I was so caught up in a job that I didn't necessarily adore and classes that I felt obligated to take. There had been a huge weight lifted from my shoulders after confessing that I had went against my parents' wishes and left college. That was the life they wanted for me, but it wasn't something I wanted for myself.

"You know I love you, right?"

Frowning, I pulled my head back up, looking to Tyler who was staring intently at her tattered boots. Her long fingers twirling the old strings aimlessly.

Opening my mouth to respond, she unknowingly cut me off. "All of those terrible things I said growing up.. I never meant them. Any of them." "We were just kids, Tyler- " "And I appreciate this. All of this. Everything you've given and done for me. Playing hide & Seek with me when you had better things to do. Singing me to sleep."

A lazy smiled graced my features as I remembered those nights. Every so often, she would wake from a nightmare, immediately bounding into my room and throwing herself into my arms, choking on her cries until I lulled her into sleep. She had since grown out of that habit, though.

"Giving me a home when I wanted to get away. Waking up early and taking me to school on your days off, which should have been spent sleeping in." She finally looked to me, her nose slightly red and her eyes glossy. "I could never thank you enough."

Now concerned, I sat up, scooting just a tad bit closer. "Tyler, what's going on?" She ignored my question, her lip trembling as she repeated herself, "I love you." "I-I love you too, Tyler." She nodded in acknowledgement, checking her shoes one last time before returning her gaze to me. Tears had fallen. One by one, they spilled over and she slowly began to lose control of herself.

"I'm sorry." "Ty-" "I'm so sorry." "What could you possibly be sorry for?" Her lips twitched as they formed a crooked smile, though she was clearly still heartbroken. She struggled to find the words to say. Her mouth opening and closing with nothing but soft gasps passing by, until she found there was only one thing to say. She continued to apologize in rapid fire. Her sadness growing more and more until I felt the need to cry along with her, though I had no idea what we would be so sad for.

"I didn't mean for this to happen. Please-please forgive me. I'm so sorry."

I woke with a start. The light of the morning blinding me, making it much more difficult to find my phone which was currently going haywire as my alarm went off.

Fumbling with the device, I managed to turn it off before making an attempt at placing it back on the coffee table. It only just reached the edge, and when I released my hold, it fell onto the carpet. Shrugging it off, I rolled onto my back and gave a great stretch before immediately recoiling with a hiss. I had fallen asleep on the couch during the movie last night, which was never a good idea. It was nearly impossible for my neck to turn to either side, my entire back aching.

When I had swung my body to the edge, slowly standing up, my body cracked. In just one night I had gone from an energetic twenty-three year old to a sixty year old lady, grunts included.

With half lidded eyes I slowly shuffled towards the kitchen, immediately sinking into my morning routine. The first thing on the list was to acquire the fresh batch of coffee the machine had been set to make just thirty minutes ago. It was just warm enough to bring about a sigh of bliss as it coated my dry throat.

Leaning against the counter, I continued to enjoy my drink in silence. Other than the soft, persistent ticking as usual. But something had caught my eye, or lack of something, I should say. Just to the side of the front door, ahead of me, a pile of shoes of various styles. Some old and ratted, others new, shiny and ready to impress. Among the clutter, a lack of familiar dull brown boots.

Frowning, I moved swiftly towards the door and up the stairs, calling out my sister's name. When she didn't reply, I had practically thrown her door open. Half expecting and hoping to see her laying face down, still dressed in yesterdays clothes with a hangover she'd kick herself for later. But I found nothing. The room remained untouched since the moment she left last night.

With fake and fairly forced optimism, I returned to the living room downstairs. Head held high and shoulders thrown back as I calmly walked to the low table, snatching my phone from beneath it. My fingers moved with haste as I searched for any missed calls or texts from my M.I.A sibling. The only thing I had missed was a call from work. Most likely William asking me to work a few extra hours at the shop tonight. Which I would agree to, but not before groaning obnoxiously and stomping my feet.

Closing my phone, I pressed it to my lips, sighing.

She forgot. She simply forgot to call me. I used to be the exact same way. For the most part, I was pretty good at letting my mother and father know what was happening and where I was. But there were times when I would be so caught up in the moment, the task would slip my mind. Only to be scolded when I returned home. And oh, how _I _would scold her. I may be the carefree, fun, understanding sister, but this was one thing I was strict on. My mind and body could not handle the stress of not knowing where she was or how she was doing, when it was my responsibility to know. Moments like these, made me wish I could go back and be a better daughter and lift the weight from my mom's shoulders.

Shaking it off, I straightened myself again. Taking a deep breath before slipping the small device into my pocket, I began my very small walk back to the kitchen. Where I would sit and wait as I wrote down all of the possible punishments she would have to undergo. Cleaning the bathrooms was the first idea that came to mind, making me smile. I didn't particularly hate cleaning any specific thing, even the toilet. I surprisingly didn't mind it. But Tyler loathed it, settling her chore for the next however long I felt necessary

Three thunderous knocks had caused me to jump ever so slightly. My free hand immediately slapping against my chest, feeling my heart racing dangerously fast. I slowly turned to the door, desperately trying to calm my rattled nerves.

The knocks repeated themselves when I hadn't answered their demands fast enough. "Coming!" I called out. Placing my mug on the nearest surface before hastily moving to the door, slowly pulling it open.

Standing on my porch were two men. One balding and short, his salt and peppered beard concealing the lower half of his face. He was dressed in a light olive, pinstriped suit. The jacket undone, revealing the baby blue button up underneath and a navy tie with the most obscure pattern dancing across the fabric. His partner, much taller and much younger had dressed it down just slightly. Black slacks and a boring, white dress shirt with his coat hung over one arm. His jaw was strong, much like his stare even when he cracked a pitiful smile.

"Evalyn Lewis?" The older one question.

"Yes. C-can I help you?" "I'm Officer Rollins-" My heart began to race once again, though this time, much faster. "This," he gestured towards the young male "is Lieutenant Finley. Would you mind if we..came in for a moment?"

Swallowing hard, I took a short step back, allowing them to enter my home before I shut the door with trembling hands. My body turned to face them, but my gaze just couldn't manage to settle. It was jumping around the room, desperately trying to avoid the guests as I stumbled over my words.

"W-would you-uh.. Would you like-" Rollins interrupted me with a soft smile, "No thank you, Ms. Smith. Our stay will be short. Would you uh-" hesitantly, he gestured to the empty chair "please have a seat?" Nodding silently, I quickly took my seat as he sat just next to me in the long couch I had used for the night, while his partner aimlessly moved about. Kicking his shiny shoes into the carpet, catching a few glimpses of what little family portraits I had scattered around the room.

Keeping my eyes on the wandering man, I questioned "What's this all about?"

Rollins shared a shaky smile, his eyes moving between me and the floor every few seconds. "Your sister-" he paused. His lips sealing shut once again as he looked to the corner of the room. Completely unaware that my nails were now digging into my flesh. Breath halted in my chest, suffocating me and causing my form to tremble. "There was an incident-" "What kind of incident?" The question slithered its way past gritted teeth. Then and only then did his dark brown eyes finally settle on me, unmoving and filled with such sorrow. Sorrow that was soon passed onto me.

"I'm so sorry, Evalyn,"

My lower lip quivered, my vision now misty.

"Tyler was killed late last night."

Like a fist pounding into my stomach, the breath I had been holding was released as the body had shut down. My empty stare falling to the floor.

"I suggest you leave," I murmured barely above a whisper.

"Ms. Lewis," the Lieutenant spoke as he slowly made his way to me. "Leave!" I demanded in a far less friendly tone, causing him to jump back slightly. His partner stood, taking the mans arm and guiding him back to the front door, letting themselves out in silence. At the sound of their engine roaring to life, I stood on unsteady legs, slowly drifting towards the center of the room. I couldn't feel much of anything. Not the ache in my bones from an uncomfortable sleep or the beating of my heart as my shallow, shaky breath forced it back to life. All I could feel, was an unbearable coldness and the hot tears that I had only noticed when my vision was obscured.

Just across from me, in the other room, a stare I had seen too often. Her once hateful, grey orbs suddenly not seeming so hateful. If anything, she seemed to be suffering the same heartache as her gaze guided me to a black backpack resting on the island. The zipper pulled down, allowing the contents to spill out-various notebooks, pens, an Ipod and a folder filled with homework that needed tending to. The folder was decorated in silly, colorful graffiti and various names of friends who had decided to leave their mark.

Friends that would never see her bright and shining face again..

In a matter of seconds, I had lost myself as I was thrown down into a bottomless pit of overwhelming emotions. With a quick swipe I had pushed every framed picture and small candle from the top of the short entertainment center. The sound of their demise as they shattered only fueled my fire. I couldn't stop. Not a damn thing was saved from the hurricane as it swept through the main level of my home, which was destroyed in a matter of minutes. If it could break, it was broken. If it was small, yet heavy enough, it'd be thrown across the room, leaving a lovely dent in the walls that contained the storm. When there was nothing left, I had pressed myself as tightly as I could into the wall of my kitchen. My chest weighed down by an invisible force as I fought for air. I had grown dizzy during my rampage, causing me to simply slip into the corner, cowering away from the unseen darkness that I felt closing in around me.

My voice was now hoarse as I cried out her name, begging for her not to leave me, though she had left long ago. My pleas quickly turned into anger as I screamed and cursed any and every higher power for taking the only thing that held me together. Tyler was the final piece to keep the machine running, and with her gone, I was rendered useless.

Grabbing the nearest object I could find, I had chucked it upwards and as it collided with the ceiling, I had given my final message to the one who allowed this to happen. "Fuck you!"

Tyler was _my _angel. Not theirs.

**Remember, reviews help us aspiring authors! **


	4. Allan the Uniclops

There's nothing you can do to prepare for loss.

You tell yourself that everyone and everything has an end. Whether it be long and brutal, quick and painless, natural causes or the act of some cruel monster in the form of a human.

You watch your grandparents age. Their bodies slowly giving way and you know their time on Earth is nearly up, but you put on a bright smile and go about your life as if you've never noticed the gradual or not so gradual changes. Then they leave and it doesn't matter how, they just do.

You grow attached to your pets and watch them suffer the same fate and once you recover from the trauma, you hope the experience has built up some sort of shield to protect you from any future collisions, at least just a little bit. But it doesn't and nothing ever will save you from that kind of heartache. It's inevitable.

And the pain was just as fresh today as it was when Rollins arrived on my doorstep. But I hid it well, or so I liked to think.

The couple to my left, however, had fallen to pieces. Mainly the woman; my mother. Her sobs and sniffles could have drowned out the kind words of the priest, while my father could be heard whimpering when she would slip into silence.

I hadn't bothered to look their way, petrified of that ever so familiar feeling I had been suffering through all damn week; guilt. Their daughter had perished while under my care. They had trusted me with her life and I failed them. I didn't deserve their affection or to even be acknowledged. I so desperately wished that the ground beneath my aching feet would simply open up and swallow me whole. I couldn't bear the red and puffy eyes as they sent their silent and sometimes not so silent condolences. I didn't deserve their sad smiles or hugs filled with such pity.

With my failure, I have earned nothing but solitude as the self loathing ate me alive.

A slight weight had fallen into me, startling and drawing my attention to my left, where my father had placed a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it just slightly. The sight of their broken spirits had caused me to quickly turn away, staring at anything but them or the guests.0

I watched the skies as tiny birds flew past and the colorful flowers dance when the wind-swept on by. The light of the morning seeping in through the tall cluster of trees, adding quite a fairy tale feel to such a dark day. Which is why Tyler would rest here. A personal request made by her years ago, before she ever moved in. Mum had dropped her off for a weekend, which was spent shopping, going out to eat, watching silly movies and going on small adventures. During one of our adventures, we had discovered a cemetery-this cemetery. The long grass, trees and bushes all holding a steady, brilliant green. Not a shade of brown to be seen as the heat from the sun attempted to singe it. Marble stone pathways leading its visitors in various, confusing directions were lined with potted flowers. Beyond the flowers, a surprising number of headstones that still managed to shine despite their age.

"How could a place of so much beauty hold so much death?" she would say in astonishment during every single visit, as if it was her first time being there.

It took a lot of stress and arguments in order to get her here. My mother had wanted to take her back with her, to be buried near by so she could visit whenever she wanted. But I was relentless and fought for what Tyler wanted, and clearly won the fight.

Movement had pulled my attention forward, and with saddened eyes, I watched as the shining coffin was slowly lowered into the hole. I watched the object intently, not once blinking as I savored the final moments I had with her. But a flash of her cold, pale face had entered my mind. The first image that welcomed me when I had arrived, sick to my stomach at the sight of her opened casket for all to see.

The memory had scared me to the point where I had gasped in shock, quickly covering my mouth hung agape as I frantically turned away from the scene. My father's hand falling limp to rest back on my mothers waist as I stormed away. My weak knees carrying me as far as they could until I had finally fallen against a tree, quite a distance away from the black suits and ties that hadn't bothered to stop me.

Not entirely confident in my ability to support my own weight, I had wrapped an arm around the thin base of the tree, grinding my temple into its harsh sides before giving it a quick smack with my cranium, biting on my lower lip as I tried to fight back the hundredth meltdown. But the mission was futile. A pitiful sob passing my swollen lips as tears stained my cheeks.

My screaming, racing thoughts had engulfed my being. I had tuned out the world that surrounded me, unable to detect a new presence until a soft hand had entered my blurry vision, tissue hanging loosely from between dainty fingers.

The first smile of the day had made itself known, though it was pathetic.

Taking the offering, I thanked the kind soul as I dried my tears before moving to clean my nose. "I've run out," I managed to mumble as I turned to face my company. Again, my mouth was left hung agape. However this time, it was a look of surprise, rather than horror.

The young girl that stood before me seemed to be around my age, though I appeared quite a few years older with the havoc my body had been forced to endure in short amount of time.

Her glossy lips pulled into a sad smile, her eyes filled with the same sorrow.

"I-I know you from somewhere, don't I?" She nodded. "I'm sorry, but-" a great, unattractive sniff filled the small empty space. "I'm not that great with names." "Leah."

As if struck by lightning, memories came flooding back in an instant.

Leah Lynn Ashford; the daughter of some family friends I had long since lost contact with.

Leah and I were never the best of friends. Never found ourselves gravitating towards one another, playing house or building forts. But when the neighbors gathered for parties, we stuck together. Discouraged by the lack of children around our age. We would walk about aimlessly, dodging the much taller humans as they paraded around with their glasses filled with various alcoholic drinks, which they promised was juice.

We did this for years. Never bonding over our likes or dislikes in games or television, but rather our opinions on life. It started out as simple things. We would judge the adults that surrounded us and question their behavior, but as we got older, we questioned our existence. Wondered what was waiting for us in the afterlife, or what we would be like in an alternate universe. In between these serious discussions, we would people watch and desperately attempt to decipher their dirtiest secret(s).

What little contact we had, had faded over time. Nearly vanishing completely when we got to High School, though we shared smiles as we passed in hallways. But that was all before we graduated and moved on with our lives. Yet here she was. Standing right in front of me in a teal, floral top and a black pencil skirt, looking very different from what memory she left me with.

"Wow," I breathed. Still taken aback by the sight of her. "It's been a very..long time."

Her smile brightened slightly at that, rocking on her heels. "Yeah, it has been.. Wish our reunion was under a lot better circumstances, though." I nodded in agreement, silent. Looking down at my hands as they tore the abused tissue to shreds. The tiny pieces being carried away by the wind.

I quickly slapped a forced smile over my features and straightened my spine, facing her again. Hoping the faked happiness would not only fix my mood, but the atmosphere. "What have you been up to since I last saw you?"

I wasn't necessarily sure that catching up with old friends at a funeral was the best idea. But I needed a distraction to keep me far away from Tyler until I was ready.

She shifted uncomfortably in place, her attention veering off as she made several attempts to speak. "I, uhm-" a hand reached to scratch the back of her neck "I own dad's shop now."

I looked to her with wide eyes, clearly not expecting her reply. I knew she loved the place just as much as her father, but never pictured her to be the type of person to own a store filled to the brim with weaponry of various kinds. "Wow.. How'd that happen?" "Mom got sick. She's sort of..confined to either her bed or a chair. Dad wanted to be there for her so he handed the responsibility down to me." I expressed my sympathy for her ill mother, who I could barely remember after all of these years.

Leah waved it off, showing me that I should change the subject as quickly as possible. "Do you enjoy it? The work?" "I know it's hard to believe, but.. I do. I really do. The people can be sketchy at times. But so far, nothing's happened and if it does I have a pistol on me at all times," she ended with a proud smile. "And a dangerous right hook. What about you? You practically fell off the face of the Earth."

Stifling a laugh, I shifted my weight to my other leg. My fingers twisting what was left of the torn apart tissue.

I proceeded to describe in as little detail as possible of what happened in my life once I left home and when finished, I encouraged her to be an open book. To tell me about herself, since I never really knew her before we had carelessly thrown ourselves down memory lane. Snickering behind our hands as we remembered the ugly dresses we were forced to wear, the obnoxious neighborhood drunk that always knew how to lighten up the Christmas parties, and how damn bitchy we were, even as children.

"I don't think that part has changed much," I mumbled with a fairly bright smile, though it faltered as I noticed Leah's attention was no longer on me, but rather on something in the distance. "Yeah, same here. Do you know that girl?"

With a brow cocked, I turned towards the street where a shimmering, cheery red Aston Martin sat in silence. The driver had long since exited the car, standing on the driver's side, peering over the hood. Her porcelain face hidden by a mass of curly, blond hair and thick, black sunglasses. Her pouty lips painted as red as her vehicle of choice.

Frowning, I squinted in hopes it would enhance my vision to get a better look at her. "No, I don't think so." "Wonder what she wants." "She's either just a bit too curious or watching groups of people mourn brings her some kind of fucked up satisfaction," I replied with a lame shrug. "Well, let's hope it's not the latter."

From what I could hear, the service had ended. The crowd was slowly, but surely dispersing. Their soft sniffles could be heard from various areas now, along with their shuffling as they either made way back to their cars or to another much smaller group to chat. But my eyes remained on this young girl, watching her intently as she swiftly placed herself back behind the wheel, driving away without having ever given me the slightest of glances.

My neck strained as I watched her go, only relaxing once she was completely out of my sight. "Weirdo," Leah spat. Nodding in agreement, I turned back to the now very empty space off in the distance, decorated in various kinds of flowers. I politely excused myself before slipping past my old and now new friend.

With every step, a weight had been added to my shoulders. The closer I got to the hole in the ground, the more difficult it became to walk. I was sure my ankles would roll and snap or my knees would buckle, sending me face first into the soft grass, but I managed to survive the journey unscathed. Taking a few deep, calming breaths the last bit of the way to brace myself for my final goodbye.

* * *

Like a sleepwalker, I found myself standing in a doorway with no memory of getting there.

The moment I stepped into my home, autopilot had kicked in, surrounding my wandering form with nothing but blurs until I had reached my destination.

I thought about turning away from the scene. To protect my heart from the countless photographs, stuffed animals of various types and the collection of necklaces that hung on the wall, having no more room in the jewelry box. But I wouldn't budge. I had frozen in place as my eyes scanned the filled, yet oh so empty room.

I so desperately wanted to hear her laughter as she read text messages from her friends or watched videos on her laptop. To see her laying on her stomach, ear buds in, feet wrapped around one another as they reached for the sky, swaying or bouncing with the music only she could hear as she did her homework. But this once loud, chaotic and cheerful house was now scary quiet, peaceful and gloomy. It was completely alien as well as unwelcome. This wasn't what I was raised around.

I couldn't recall a single day of my childhood that wasn't filled with constant noise. Even when I lived alone my house was normally filled with thunderous music and tv shows that had been left to run throughout the day.

With much hesitation, I moved into the room that I had only stepped into one other time this week. My mother had expressed the desire to have Tyler's room looking absolutely perfect.

"Why? Who's going to see it?" "Well I might!" So with an eye roll, I had given her what she wanted and went through my sister's room, organizing and cleaning every surface and corner until it looked as if it had never been lived in. Pausing here and there to bite back the tears whenever a particular memory ran through my mind.

I hated the sight, to be honest. Tyler wasn't exactly the cleanest person, but she wasn't the messiest, either. The only time her bed was ever made, was when she was forced to change the sheets. Clothes, shoes and books littered her floor. Apparently too lazy to simply slip them onto a shelf or into her closet. But she never left food, cups, bowls or plates behind to fill with bugs and managed to dust every inch of her room possible. Mainly because of her allergies.

She had a signature mess that I loved and cherished. And seeing this little box shining like brand new was unnerving.

Making my way to her bed, I carefully rested my weight upon the thick, white comforter. Smiling as a few toys had fallen into me. One toy in particular had practically laid its head in my lap. A once soft, white Unicorn that she had won at a carnival. The minute we spotted his cute little self hung up with a plethora of stuffed animals of many sizes we raced for the booth, throwing money at the man before chucking baseballs at the our targets. With how determined and competitive we were, one would think we were battling for the large and in charge teddy bear off in the corner. But no. We had our eyes set on the tiny little horse. And with a victorious fist pump into the air, I collected my prize but at some point handed it off to Tyler, who loved plushies more than any child I've ever met. Once in her arms he was immediately given the name Allan and as time went on, he lost his eye, thus deeming him Allan the Uniclops.

Holding him close to my chest like she had done so long ago, I collapsed into the pile of inanimate objects, causing most of them to fall to the floor with a cluster of soft thuds. My legs pulled themselves to rest against the back of my hands that stroked the synthetic hair of the toy.

"I'm not ready for this," I mumbled. "I'm not ready to be alone."

Turning Allan to face me, I brushed the coarse mane from his face. Nails gliding over his plastic eye, tapping it a few times before letting out a pathetic whimper, "I'm not ready to do this without you." It was as if this doll was Tyler herself, though much, much smaller and quieter.

Allan was pulled back into my suffocating embrace as my eyes slipped shut. The sleepless nights were finally catching up with me, coaxing my now lifeless body to the dark.

"What am I supposed to do?"


	5. Our Kind of Job

**Dean Winchester POV**

You know those moments? Those moments of absolute, eerie, painful silence? It digs itself into you like an animal, settling in your chest and making you shift in your seat uncomfortably, just hoping it would somehow cease the pain. But it drags on and you're forced to either sit there and allow it to continue, or to choke out sentences as you finally remember how to speak. But what do you say? How do you break the ice when your nerves are so rattled to the point that you're terrified of even opening your mouth? Worried that your racing mind had suddenly forgotten how to socialize, resulting in you making a fool out of yourself as you practically talked out of your ass.

This, was one of those moments. Though I knew exactly what to say.

I had spent quite some time simply staring at the sight this dream had provided. Sitting directly across from me in this dark basement-or at least I assumed it was a basement, was an old, scruffy man dressed in tattered and dirty clothes. Just like I remembered him. His brown eyes had held my gaze for what seemed like an eternity. From the moment I had opened my eyes, I had not seen the rise of his chest as he breathed or the blink of an eye. Not even a muscle twitch. He stared at me just as intently as I stared back, though wearing a faint, crooked smile. He was a statue and I was left with an internal war over whether I was happy to see him, saddened by the reminder that he was no longer here or mad as hell.

With fists pressed into my knees, I fought back the urge to free that anger that had been boiling under my skin for so long. But with a quivering lip, I had finally broken the silence.

"It's not fair, dad."

The words fell from my lips in a low mumble. I had hoped the sound of my voice would pull him from his comatose state, but of course, I was given nothing but more silence.

"None of this should have happened.. First mom and now you?" At this point, the mixture of emotions was overwhelming, making me weak, vulnerable and dizzy as all hell. I couldn't steady myself and it scared me.

"I don't know how much longer I can do this for, dad. Yeah, sure, I helped a few families but I couldn't even save my own!"

Like a slide show, I could see their bright and shining faces in still photographs. Some of them were real, some of them should have happened but never did. All I knew was that in these moments, we were a whole, happy family again and I'd give anything to relive this life the way it should have been. No monsters or ghosts waiting in the dark of the night and certainly no yellow eyed piece of shit.

In these pictures I saw the youthful, glowing face of my younger brother. His slender arms wrapped around the waist of his mother, who he never got to hold.

"And Sammy.. Oh God, Sammy," I murmured as I blinked away the tears that threatened to spill, before shooting a glare back at my father. "How could you ask me to do that? How could you leave me with that resting on my shoulders? Do you actually expect me to kill my own brother?!" Still no response.

"I won't do it."

There was no way in hell I was going to allow my baby brother to slip through my fingers too. He deserved a long, happy and normal life. Well, we all did. But him more so and he had that life until I came back into the picture.

"He's all I've got left. I won't do it," I repeated. "I'm going to save him." It was starting to sound as if I was trying to convince myself, rather than him. "I'll save Sam, I promise."

By now, the anger was growing and spreading rapidly, causing my form to shake like a tremor before a volcano erupted, unleashing it's unforgiving fire. I needed him to ease my troubled mind with reassuring words or a simple pat on the back. That was all I needed and I wasn't getting a god damn thing and his lack of attention was pushing me over the edge.

Slowly standing, my lips formed a scowl as I looked down at him. He remained seated, but his gaze still followed. I waited for the comforting words or for him to join his son with a tightly clenched jaw. And before I could stop myself I had turned on my heel, taking the old, blue chair I had been sitting on in an iron grip, throwing it to the other side of the room. It's collision with the wall and then the floor was the only other sound to be heard over my aggravated shout, "Why won't you say something!?"

But when I went to return his cold stare, I was even more disappointed to find that he had vanished.

Immediately missing his company, I tried to play it off with a scoff and an eye roll. "Yeah, thanks for the help!" I called out to the darkness, which soon turned to light as an ear-piercing screech pulled me from my well deserved sleep.

Jolting forward, choking as I accidentally inhaled a pool of spit, I spotted Sammy leaning in through the window, hand resting against the horn. "You're a heavy sleeper," he stated with a smile, completely ignoring the insults that were flying his way. "I found us a place to eat."

Moaning in reply, I slipped my sunglasses off, quickly tossing them into the glove compartment before falling back into the seat, smoothing my fingers over my face. Noting the sudden pain with a sharp hiss, I quickly pulled my hands back to examine them. Embedded into the soft, sweaty flesh of my palms were four distinct markings from my short nails, surrounded by red showing signs of a long-held fist. My fingers stiff and unwilling as I tried to stretch them out flat.

"Dude, you comin'?" Sam asked as he peered in through the window yet again. "Yeah, yeah," I mumbled before hastily stepping out from the Impala, following closely behind my brother as we entered some dully lit diner I hadn't caught the name of. He quickly located an empty booth for us was I continued to yawn and scrub the sleep from my eyes.

Together, we both sighed as we nuzzled into the squishy cushions, taking a moment to settle before almost immediately diving back into work. Well, Sam did.  
His laptop joined us on the table like always and his eyes soon lit up with the screens light as he frantically scanned the internet. Desperate for a case-any case. I would have gladly taken on another ghost hunt, though they weren't my favorite. We needed something, anything to take our minds off of our dads death. And with Sam's current bad luck, I found other ways to distract myself.

Lips pulling into a sly grin, I had found a platinum haired beauty behind the counter, wiping its surface clean with a bored expression and I had quite a few ideas on how to entertain her.

"What do you want to eat?" I mumbled without taking my eyes off of the oblivious waitress.

"Oh, uh.. See if they have-" Like Charlie Brown's teacher, all I could hear was his voice, but the words were all muffled and slurred together.

"Uh huh, got it," I replied before jumping to my feet. Giving my cheeks a few quick slaps before straightening my jacket, casually making my way to her. "You got this, Dean," I reassured before slipping onto the stool, flipping open an available menu. I scanned through it aimlessly, not really looking for anything in particular, just biding my time until her sweet voice greeted my ears. "Hi, what can I get for you today?"

In a swift motion, the plastic book had been closed as I looked up to meet her gaze, smirking slightly when taking note of her soft gasp.

With lips now parted, I leaned back to take her all in before stating, "You're a waitress here?" Her brows furrowed at that, clearly confused as she responded, "Yes." "I hope you don't find me too bold for saying this, but," dramatic pause as I took a big breath, "you're gorgeous." She seemed taken aback by the compliment. Her pale face flushing a soft pink, her trouty lips threatening to form a smile as she looked down to her feet.

"You could do so much better than working at some diner. Tell me you're a model on the side. You have to be!" Raising her head, she rocked on her heels, her eyes darting all around the room. "I-I'm not. I'm just a waitress. Though, I have thought about it-modeling." "You should give it a shot. What have you got to lose?" "The respect of my family," She muttered darkly. Her bright and bashful face suddenly not so bright.

"Oh, it's one of those situations, is it?" She nodded wordlessly. "Well, let me tell you-if parents love their children as much as they say they do, then they should be happy for their children and support their dreams." The sound of my own voice made me want to vomit at this point, like so many other times I had to put on this facade. But I'll save that for later, because right now, I was scoring more and more points.

Hopefully scoring again a little later.

Once more, she nodded, acknowledging my words of encouragement that brought her smile back. But she managed to shake off my distraction, putting her attention back on the job, though I knew I had left an impression. She repeated her earlier question, to which I replied "All American Burger and-"

Blank.

Looking over my shoulder, I stared at Sam, hoping whatever he said would just somehow pop up in my head, but no such luck. "Make that two All American's and two Pepsi's." And with that, she had slapped the order up on a metal ring before going to attend to other hungry customers.

With my foot tapping to the beat of a song that had been stuck in my head since yesterday, I waited in silence that was occasionally broken as I softly mumbled the lyrics.

"God, it's such a shame." I overheard an older lady tut from a few seats down as she spoke to a friend of hers. "This is such a nice neighborhood. I don't understand how something like this could happen." "Maybe it was a drug deal gone bad?" The curly haired ginger shook her head, sighing out "Sources say she was a well-behaved, hard-working student. I have a hard time believing it was anything drug related. Who would want to meet up in a cemetery, anyway?"

Then, they had my full attention. My ears had practically perked up, along with my body.

"Yeah, that does seem kind of strange."

I was forced to take a break from eavesdropping when the blonde had returned, placing two glasses filled to the brim with caffeine in front of me. I quickly thanked her, taking the drinks in hand before almost running to my table. Before Sam had the time to question my haste, I was back at the stool, eagerly tuning in on their conversation once again, but they had gone quiet.

Now annoyed, I had taken a step closer, leaning in to tap the red heads shoulder. "Excuse me, ladies. I-I couldn't help but overhear and-well, you see, I was thinking about moving here and-" "Oh, sweetie," she cried out. Reaching out to place her hand on my shoulder to give it a reassuring squeeze. "Don't let this one incident scare you off."

"What kind of incident was it?" I questioned.

Her slender, wrinkled hand fell back to her lap. "There was a murder about two weeks ago. Some poor, young girl was killed in a cemetery. This really is such a lovely town. We've had a few problems here and there but never anything this dark. Oh, and her family! I can't even imagine the sort of pain they are going through. Perhaps we should send them some flowers?" She asked as she turned back to her friend.

With my mind now racing, I had collected the two hot plates of food, delivering a wink to the waitress as thanks before moving to the booth.

Closing the laptop and slipping it back into its bag, Sam looked down at the meal before him with a raised brow before giving me a look. "What? I got you what you ordered." His eyes wandered over to the counter, spotting the beauty I had been chatting up and smirked. "Yeah, thanks."

"Don't mention it. So, did you find anything?" He let out a defeated sigh, picking up his burger, examining it closely. "Nothing yet. It's pretty quiet at the moment, which seems unusual." Nodding in agreement, I took an ungodly sized bite out of my burger, moaning in bliss at its taste. Completely ignoring my brothers judgmental looks.

"Well," I mumbled, immediately cracking a small smile when Sam scoffed in disgust at my lack of manners. "I might've gotten us something."

His brow raised at that. "Oh?"

"A girl was murdered awhile ago-" He cut me off with a sigh, falling back in his seat. "Dean, that's terrible but we don't deal with-" "Murdered in a cemetery. Tell me that doesn't sound the least bit strange?" He frowned, looking down at his uneaten food, biting his lip. "That is..a bit peculiar." "That's what I'm saying. I think we should check it out." "What if it really is just a murder though? Nothing paranormal?" "Well, we'll never know unless we check it out." I mused before diving back into my meal. Satisfying the monstrous growl in my stomach.

- - -

A few lies, black suits and an hour spent doing research on not only the town of Chelsea, but on the girl who had unfortunately lost her life.

"Tyler Annabelle Lewis," Sam sighed out as he flipped through the papers. "An eighteen year old High School student who, according to sources, was an all around good kid. Good grades, good behavior-"

With a scoff, I moaned "Bo-ring. Kids are supposed to go out and have crazy sex and-" Turning to my brother, I immediately sealed my lips. Like so often, he was giving me a stern glare, silently telling me to 'shut the fuck up'. Which I happily did so, turning back on my heel as I continued on our slow-paced walk through the thin woods. Kicking rocks across the way and dodging the many low branches or scattered pits in the Earth. I was especially cautious of them after taking a careless step, slipping down and nearly snapping my ankle. I had quickly pulled myself out of the small trap, straightening myself out with wide, startled eyes before scowling at Sam who was desperately trying to hold back his laughter.

"Anyway," he continued. "Reports say Tyler was discovered around 8am by the grounds caretaker; Leonard Banks. She appeared to have died from a stab wound to her chest-" "Yeah, that outta do it." "but her body was covered with various gashes and burns. Her wrists bruised and cut from rope, showing signs of torture, rather than a quick death."

I came to a stop, lips pursed into a thin line as I examined the ground before turning back to Sammy, mumbling "I feel like that hag at the diner." A brow was raised in confusion, his response barely audible, "Oh?"

Looking back to my feet, I left out a hefty sigh as fingers soothed over closed eyes, meeting at the bridge of my nose, pinching it.

"Protect him," dads voice echoed in my head.

"I just uh-feel bad, yannow? For the family. It's one thing to know that she died, but to also know what she went through before she..passed on." I finished as I stood straight again, eyes wide as I stared out, eyes landing on what might've been our destination that was blocked by a cluster of trees.

There was a soft rustle as Sam closed the folder, allowing the papers to fall onto one another before lowering the thin booklet to his side. "Yeah, it's-it's gotta be tough," he agreed in a low voice.

We fell into silence in the blink of an eye. I could feel his eyes digging into my skin as he tried to unravel my mind, searching for anything and everything that he's suspected me of hiding. But when he found me unreadable, like usual, he asked with much concern, "Are you alright?" "Yeah, yeah." I waved him off without even meeting his stare, which I knew he loved. "I think we're here." "Dean-" He started up, though was silenced as my hasty steps thundered against the dirt, crunching twigs and fragile rocks with every step, swiping at the branches that threatened to take out my eyes.

With a few final steps, an eerie scene had welcomed my sight. A fairly small, green field littered with tombstones of various sizes and shapes. Some knocked over and split, some still managing to stand tall, though forgotten and left behind to rot as cheerful birds pecked at its base, looking for food. Scattered graves had been dug up long ago, the remains missing and the coffins slowly deteriorating as mother nature claimed them for her own.

To our right, the creepiest church either of us had ever seen. Shattered glass decorated the windows, the tall doors hung from their hinges, swaying and creaking with every gust of wind with crumbling stone walls to surround them. No flowers sprouted here, nor were any left behind for the lost. Other than the trees that hid this area so very well, the scene was grim and grey for all but one particular spot.

Across the way, stood a statue of an angel, her gaze lowered, directing us toward the collection of various items at her feet. From our distance, it appeared to be a memorial. Framed pictures that we couldn't make out, random trinkets hung over the corners or laid out on the tiny slab of cement and behind them, dying flowers wrapped in plastic.

"Where did they say she was found?"

"Bound to an angel," he replied lowly as he moved to stand next to me, taking in the sight with saddened eyes.

"We are..definitely in the right place." With a reassuring pat delivered to my brothers back, I moved forward with him following closely behind and the closer we got, the worse the ache in our chest had become. Jewelry and little notes decorated the frames that held many pictures of Tyler's once smiling, happy face. It was difficult to look at her rosy cheeks and dazzling eyes after having seen photos of her laying on a cold, metal table. I hated how that was how I knew her, but now, I was able to see who she was and I was going to hold onto these pictures in a steel cage.

The angels dress was stained with time, mud and a few skeptical blotches of what we assumed to be dried blood. Having seen this, I asked Sammy to inspect the statue from top to bottom, while I surveyed the surroundings.

I found nothing for quite some time, forcing me to get low to the ground, checking under the fallen stones or inside the open caskets. Eventually, I found myself back at the base of the angel. Fingers roaming over what appeared to be a solid, black bead somehow stuck to a blade of grass. I scraped it off with ease, rolling it around with my fingers until it crumbled and turned to dust. "Wax?"

"What?" Looking down to my feet, I found more and more collections of the substances. "Candle wax," I repeated. "That doesn't necessarily mean anything," he mumbled without looking my way. Still searching every little crevasse that could hide a secret.

"Black candle wax," I corrected, watching him as he paused in his search, his jaw clenching tightly before continuing on.

With my gaze still directed towards the ground, I frowned. Just next to the small puddles of wax, a deep and straight line had been cut into the Earth. I followed the lines until it turned, connecting to create one large triangle..connected to another triangle, and another.

Slowly, I raised myself back up, taking in the entire design that had been smeared here and there with steps. You wouldn't have seen it at first. It wouldn't be the first thing you look for in a murder case, but to us, it stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Sammy," I called out. Demanding he abandon his current job that had so far, held nothing sufficient. I waited for a moment as he took in the picture we stood over, his eyes widening as he finally figured out what it was. "Inverted Pentagram."

"Looks like this is our kind of case after all. List her immediate family members for me."

Now shaken up by the sight, he fumbled with the folder, nearly spilling out its contents before reading out, "Uh.. Her parents; Shannon and Brian Lewis and her sister; Evalyn." "Who is closer?" "The sister. Their parents live in Allegan, which is a two-hour drive."

"Then we talk to her."


	6. That Feeling

**Dean POV**

With great reluctance, I was back in my monkey suit. Shifting uncomfortably in my seat as I struggled to find comfort, especially under the curious eyes of the neighbors.

They would pause as they jogged by with their dogs, or as they went to collect the mail. Their beady eyes would squint as they tried to get a better look of the occupants of the shining Impala and once we were spotted, spines would straighten and immediately turn away. Knowing very well what was about to happen.

We checked and double checked our fake badges, as well as the pistols we held at our side, hidden beneath our slick, black coats. I doubted we would need them on this particular case, but with our job, anything could happen and I do mean anything. We had to be prepared for whatever that _anything_ was.

Looking to my brother, we gave one another a nod, showing that we were ready to meet the eyes of yet another sad soul.

As we exited the car, the neighbors seemed to retreat back into their houses. Pretending to not be interested in the strange men that marched their way towards the cream-colored home, though they continued to peek out from behind the blinds.

"Nosy bastards," I muttered before joining my brother's side, who was staring intently at a trash bin that had been filled to the brim with colorful flowers and cards. "Well, let's hope the lady at the diner doesn't see that," I chuckled. "It's all fresh. It's all still in perfect condition, except slightly crumbled up but other than that." He leaned over, his hand hovering in the air as he searched the pile. "Oh, dude. Don't do what I think you're about to do." "I'm pretty sure we've done grosser things than this, Dean."

Plucking a white card from the top, he examined its front. Lined in gold, was a dove soaring through a blue sky with text below it, reading "May God grant you comfort and peace." Flipping it open, he recited the personal message "'My heart goes out to you and your family during this difficult time. If you ever need a friend, a shoulder to cry on, you know where I'll be.' signed by Ivan McConnell. Clearly a friend of hers," he mumbled before tossing it over his shoulder, allowing it to join the remaining ignored signs of sympathy.

Eyes locked on the dark brown door, we made our way up in silence. Occasionally glancing at our feet as we mentally prepared ourselves. Though we shared a strange look as we caught the sound of music coming from inside. Not just any music. Stoner music, or at least that's what I called it. Others would call it Reggae, but I liked my title better.

With how loud the music was playing, I assumed the usual knock would be lost in the beats of the song, leaving us to stand and wait with a tapping foot. Taking the side of my fist, I beat against the door, causing the hinges to rattle. The music continued on for a moment, before hastily being turned down, but not completely as footsteps thundered towards the front door. With a few clicks from beyond, the owner of the home had greeted our eyes in a sweater two sizes too big and a mess of dark brown hair thrown up into a bun. Her brown eyes that shined in the light were surrounded by dark circles, a clear sign that she hadn't slept in quite some time, and though she looked worn down, she was still quite a sight to see.

Had this been different circumstances, the pick-up lines would be soaring.

Upon seeing us, her rather frazzled expression had turned to a very annoyed one, eye roll included as she slumped against the door frame.

"Now what," she groaned.

"Ms. Lewis," Sam started up as him and I removed our badges, presenting them to her and expecting a slight change of attitude like everyone else we've visited. Instead, her bored stare scanned over the plastic before looking back to us. "I'm Agent Hamill and this is Agent Ford," he gestured towards me. I nod in her direction, cracking a small smile and when she hadn't returned the kindness it had fallen.

"We're here to ask you a few questions." "No shit?" she replied with fake surprise. Her once dull eyes lighting up for the slightest of moments before returning to their prior state.

She slipped off to the side, pulling the door with her, bitterly welcoming us into her home. Nodding in thanks, we entered with cautious steps. Upon first arrival, I had expected to see those creepy dolls or fairies girls seem to be so fond of lining the shelves. Candles of various scents and colors littering the tables, Cosmo magazines resting beneath them. Perhaps dirty clothes hung over chairs, particularly feminine items. Something, anything to show that this was once indeed the house of young ladies. But it was surprisingly empty, boring even. The walls held no photographs, only nails and cracks.

"You don't seem to thrilled to see us," I stated as I continued to scope out the living room. My attention almost immediately moving to rest on the flat-screen, wincing as I noticed a large hole on its far right, the glass around it completely shattered. "Should I be?"

Guiding my gaze upwards, I frowned at the collection of dust on top of the entertainment center. It had been wiped away in a few places, showing that once upon a time, the empty surface wasn't so empty and just next to it, a wall supporting multiple dents and scuffs of paint like so many other walls. "You really did a number on your house."

Sighing, she moved to lean against the door frame of her kitchen. "Yeah, well I paid for it didn't I? Now, is this going to be a short and sweet visit or am I going to have to sedate myself?"

My lower lip sunk in between my teeth, making an attempt to keep myself from grinning. This girl was sassy as hell and I liked it. _Really_ liked it.

"We'll try to make our visit as short as possible," Sam reassured.

"Make yourself comfortable then, I guess." I immediately took up her offer as I practically threw myself onto her inviting couch, whereas Sammy was a little more hesitant before taking the spot next to me. "Could you tell us a little about your sister, Evalyn?" She scoffed in reply, which was to be expected by now. "Why am I not surprised in the slightest. How many times do I have to tell the same damn story?"

"Just once more, Ms. Lewis," he replied smoothly.

I watched her shift in discomfort, rolling her shoulders, unintentionally exposing her collarbone and in an instant, I had pictured kissing them. Her broken voice moaning my name, begging for much, much more.

I caught myself just as I was about to lick my lips, quickly reminding myself that this was not the place and definitely not the time. So, with a hand scrubbing over my face, I had successfully pulled the smirk away. Maybe once this all has been settled, I would take a little trip back to Chelsea, just to check up on her.

"Tyler was a good kid. Always on time, did her best to never miss a day of school. Way better grades than I ever got. Wanted to be a vet-" "How about the crowd she hung out with?" A big gust of air passed her lips as she huffed, her eyes looking up to the ceiling as she tried to recall. "They were pretty..normal. I mean, she never did the whole clique thing. The friends that I have met are mostly average guys. Boring, really."

"What about activities? Was she ever involved in anything for school? Maybe some hobbies?" "In the mornings she worked for the school radio station, usually had drama class after. Volunteered when she could at the animal shelter." "That's all?"

"Oh, no. I thought I'd keep the fact that she was also apart of some big gang that did blow off of the back of toilets at clubs a secret," she mused with a straight face. Sam looked stunned by her sudden outburst. So, like the kind brother I am, I hastily took the reins from him. Or at least tried to.

"Look, we're just trying to hel-" "Yeah, yeah. I get it. You're just trying to help. But what possible new information could I have when I've only spoken to a detective at the beginning of the week? What new information that isn't already collected could I discover about my dead sister? It's the same story over and over again! I'm tired of reliving it. I'm tired..of remembering what she used to be," she ended softly. Her arms loosely hung across her chest as she avoided our stare, looking to the corner as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. Her eyes glossed over and nose now slightly red.

Maybe I wouldn't be coming back to Chelsea, after all. I didn't have the pleasure of knowing this woman before this tragedy. I didn't know who she was and I was starting to think I never would. Her mind and body were frail, while what was left of her heart was slowly collapsing every day she had to wake up and face the world without Tyler by her side. Evalyn Lewis was broken and I knew the feeling all too well.

"I'm sorry," I spoke up.

Not a single word passed her lips as she squeezed her eyes shut, taking in deep breaths, nodding in acknowledgement of my sympathy and we slipped into silence. Her arms fell to her sides, thumbs slipping into the hooks of her jeans and her attention finally moved to the coffee table in front of us where her opened laptop sat. It might not have been the connection I wanted, but it was better than her facing in the complete opposite direction.

"I saw your little collection outside."

She smirked at that, giving me the smallest shred of hope. For awhile I didn't think she could do anything but glare and mumble. "Have you..seen the memorial, Ms. Lewis?" Her brows furrowed at the mention of it, her head slowly raising to look to us. "Memorial?" "There's one where Tyler was.." I couldn't bring myself to finish the sentence. I had tried, but it was caught in my throat. "N-no. I didn't even know there was a memorial. I've not stepped foot near that place. Why?"

Looking to Sammy, we shared a few odd looks. Silently trying to decide who should bring it up and how to bring it up tastefully. "We uh-uhh," he stammered, fidgeting in his seat.

"Is it possible for us to..see Tyler's room?"

**Eva Pov**

This was overwhelming. This was far too much for my mind to comprehend. This little box of a shop was absolutely covered with shiny objects I've not ever had the balls to touch. Until today, that is. There was a strange mixture of emotions that soared through me as I entered this new world. Anxiety, excitement and curiosity. My wide eyes leered in through the crystal clear cases and counter tops, examining the locked away toys. Occasionally I would get too close, my nose pressing up against it, leaving a smudge behind. I took the end of my sleeve to the now dirty glass and attempted to scrub it away, but with no such luck.

"I'll be with you in a minute!"

At the sound of the familiar voice, I felt my nervousness settle, but only slightly. Just enough to make room for the panic that now washed over me. Hastily reaching over, I plucked up a small notepad and placed it over the smudge before removing myself from the scene, trying to look as innocent as possible as my eyes scanned over the many weapons of various sizes and styles. The more I studied them, the more discouraged I felt.

My shoulders slumped as I huffed, looking up at them. I had never even used a gun before. It looked easy but I highly doubted it was. I've been having constant images racing through my mind of all the things that could go wrong. I could fire it, only to have the bullet ricochet and makes its way into any part of my body or someone else s Maybe the gun would jerk back so violently to the point where it would smack me in the face, resulting in a bloody nose or maybe a casing would take out my eye. I didn't belong here, but I wanted to.

"Sorry," the voice from earlier stated with a sigh.

"Some idiot knocked over some boxes, making a big mess. This is the third fucking time he's-" She paused as she looked up, catching sight of me. Her lips forming a crooked smile. "You are so not who I expected to see." Leaning back, pushing her stomach out, she hooked her thumbs into the loops of her jeans, chewing on imaginary gum. "What's a gal like you doin' in these parts?" She asked with an obnoxious, fake southern accent that I hoped to never hear again.

Stifling a laugh, I moved closer to her, leaning lightly against the front desk. Worried that the poor old thing may cave in on itself at any moment. "Shiny things give me a boner."

Startled by my response, her eyes closed tightly, lips quivering as she tried to hold back her laughter and with eyes still closed, she backed away and placed herself behind the counter. Her fingers roaming over the notepad, before lifting it up and placing it back where I had found it. Completely oblivious to the mark I had left behind.

"I'm going to take a wild stab in the dark and say you're not here to treat me to lunch." "We can go out to lunch." "I was only teasing! We don't ha-" "I'm thinking Mexican. Sound good to you?"

She held a shaky grin, unsure if I was genuine in my offer, but eventually that smile reached her eyes, replying with "That sounds great." "I'm here to buy a gun," I blurted out. Sighing in annoyance at my lack of patience at grace.

She seemed surprised at first, but quickly settled into her professional state. "What kind are you looking for?" "One that shoots." She snorted at my cluelessness. Her eyes aimed downward, looking into the glass case just below us. "Right, well, are you looking for something bigger? Smaller?" "Smaller. Definitely smaller."

Nodding in acknowledgement, she wandered off to the side to another large, clear case. Her nails tapping on its surface, teeth chewing on her bottom lip as her eyes scanned over the items. When she had found what she was looking for, she hastily bent low, unlocked the sliding doors and plucked out a tiny brown box, which was opened carefully as she made her way back to me.

Inside this box, rested a small, dull black gun that was being judged by my stare.

Leah picked up the weapon, practically modeling it for me. "This is a Kel-Tec P-11." "That is a water gun," I corrected. "You said you wanted small!" "Not that small!" With an eye roll the gun was placed back in its case. Never to see the light again due to its unimpressive size.

Walking away, she began to mutter under her breath, though unable to wipe away her smile. She collected one more box, just slightly bigger than the last and a lot more darker. Inside, a slick, perfectly black pistol that beckoned me closer. "Browning Hi-Power. Single action, 9 mm semi-automatic." "I don't know what the fuck you just said, but it sounded impressive." "You're pretty new to this, aren't you?" I nodded silently. My eyes fixated on the small object that held so much death. "Have you ever even held a gun?" With a stern shake of my head, I replied with a "No." before my hand was immediately filled with cold metal, sending a wave of terror through my being. In my palms, a tiny killing machine.

My mind raced at an unreal pace, my stomach churning as I imagined my finger pulling the trigger. This was a place I physically and mentally never foresaw myself in and I couldn't decide if it scared me.

I could feel her eyes boring into me. Watching carefully as I analyzed the weapon with squinted eyes, keeping it far from my face. "You..wanna give it a test run?" "Can I?" "Absolutely! I have a makeshift firing range out back. I'll collect a few guns I think you'll like and we can head out." "What about the shop?"

She scoffed. Taking the Browning from my sweaty grip and placing it back into its case. "Miles can handle it." She gestured for me to follow as she moved about and I did so hesitantly, stopping at the entrance of the door she had practically stumbled out of. "Just go to the very back and make a right turn. I'll just be a few moments." With a swift motion, she leaned in through the doorway, snapped her fingers until who I assumed was Miles had her attention and then removed herself from the scene, the young red headed male hastily going to greet her, leaving me alone in the cluttered room. I had began my cautious journey to the very back of the store, stepping over and around, zig and zagging my way through the tall, stocked shelves, random boxes and incredibly old animal heads that acted as a home to all of the dust and spiders that nestled into their opened mouths and ears.

"Nice..collection," I mumbled half heartedly, bringing her back my way for just a moment. Her eyes rolled at the sight of the dead creatures before retreating, shouting back in reply "Dad loved them. Personally, I find them ugly and tasteless, so they're going up for sale."

I nodded wordlessly, staring into their dull, plastic eyes. Saddened by the lack of glimmer they would have once held and against my will, my mind had pictured her eyes. Dull and lifeless. The color of her eyes would change from various shades of green and brown, along with freckles and skin color. The only thing that didn't change, was the numb stare.

Frowning, I pressed my fingers into closed eyes as I tried to wipe away the pictures, blindly making my way down one of the various aisles with hasty steps.

"Could you do it?" a voice in the furthest and darkest part of my mind asked lowly.

"Could you take that light?"

Annoyed that a piece of me was attempting to turn me off of the job, I muttered angrily and kicked an empty box nearby, sending it flying before storming out the door, welcomed by the bright sunlight.

Quickly shielding myself from the rays with my arm, I examined the small field, lined with trees and abandoned hunks of wood and clay that had been demolished by bullets. Tall, thick poles stood erect with a mound of dirt at its base, covered in stickers. Quite a few feet ahead of them, right in front of me was along stretch of a poorly made table, littered with posters, silly graffiti, magazine cut outs and names written in black ink.

"Sorry it's not as fancy," Leah spoke from somewhere behind me. "But, like I said, makeshift."

I cracked a small smile, watching her as she made her way to the long stretch of wood, placing down at least six boxes. She placed them side by side, opening each lid before running off to collect a few large sheets of paper. She laid the majority of them down next to one of the poles, saving one to pin up, which had a zombie drawn onto it. By her no doubt.

"Alright, Eva," she huffed as she jogged her way back to my side, dusting her hands off on her pants as she did so. "I've got a question to ask you." Her fingers danced aimlessly over the now exposed guns, her nails tapping against the rough handle, noting meeting my eyes. She would open her mouth, raise her head and before her eyes could open she would look back down to her feet.

"Are you.." she trailed off. Sighing before straightening her spine, facing me with her eyes still sealed shut. "Are you going after them?"

**/ It certainly has been awhile, hasn't it! For that I deeply apologize. You see, I've just Graduated maybe about a month ago and the month prior to that major achievement was spent crying and pulling out my hair due to the mass amount of stress. But I'm back now and ready to pick things back up!**  
**Thank you for reading! Reviews are always appreciated ∪ ◡ ∪**


	7. A Case

I watched them intently. Their backs to me, either ignoring and dismissing the glare I was delivering or they were simply oblivious as they poked through the untouched bedroom. I wasn't too fond of letting strangers in here, again. I wanted this to be done and over with, so I could be left in peace. But with the lack of information and progress in the case, peace wouldn't find me anytime soon. I would be forced to sit and endure the same old questions, watch as possible suspects were interrogated, only to groan as he had been proven innocent.

These guys seemed different, though. Sure, they checked the same spots the other detectives did, but they also analyzed her exposed jewelry and notebooks that had been neatly placed side by side, color coordinated Just how she liked them. They shined a light under her bed, pushed her clothes aside in the closet to see a barren wall and looked behind the hung up mirrors. Prior detectives had done the typical sort of thing, but never what these guys were doing. They were looking for something well hidden. Some sort of secret. Not just some information that could guide them closer to who killed her, but a clue none the less.

They would often share looks with one another, almost speaking telepathically and it drove me mad. I tried to ignore it, to let it go, but eventually I had to speak up.

"Not finding what you were looking for, I take it?"

Straightening their spines, they turned to me, shaking their heads.

"You wanna tell me what exactly you were looking for?"

The taller one; Hamill took slow steps forward, meeting me in the doorway, his hands fumbling with one another as he struggled to speak. "There's been..some possible new evidence." "Possible? There either is or there isn't-" "Not necessarily," Ford spoke up, his eyes still scanning the room.

I raised a brow at him. "Oh?"

He finally turned to face me, his jaw tense, stern, though eyes wide awake and seeming genuinely interested, to say the least. "Was Tyler interested in dark magic? Witchcraft? Anything of the sorts?" "No! No, of course not! She wasn't raised that way." "You're sure?" He questioned with a raised brow, which I took to offense. "Yes, I'm sure," I snapped back with a glare. "I didn't grow up with and then raise her or anything." "So you haven't found any weird symbols or anything?" "No, never. I've cleaned this room top to bottom and I haven't found anything I would question. You wanna tell me what this is about?"

Again, they shared one of their special looks. "You know, I'm getting real sick of that shit."

With wide eyes, they turned to me. Blinking in confusion over my sudden outburst. "Sick of wh-" "The unheard conversations. The secrets you two are hiding and if it has something to do with my sister, I have a right to know. What's going on?"

With a well-practiced gulp, Hamill replied lowly, "We went to the crime scene today and..discovered something the other detectives have overlooked-a pentagram." When he noted my furrowed brow and slowly parting lips, he had rushed out his final statement, worried I was completely clueless on the subject. "In Christianity, the pentagram-" "Is used for protection," I finished, causing his face to light up slightly, but then falter. "Y-yeah, but.. What we found was no protective symbol. Evalyn, we-we think Tyler was used as a sacrifice in a ritual."

* * *

With a sharp intake of breath, I had cursed and rubbed a palm over my face, wiping the memory of that day away.

In that moment, the moment when they revealed something I should have known from the very beginning, I felt haunted by the blackest of clouds. Not one that carried bad luck or sadness, but instead one that held an ungodly anger that I was struggling to contain. It ate at my insides, boiled in my veins and brought upon multiple dizzy spells that forced me to take a seat with a bouncing knee when I got a little bit too worked up. Once I had finished my hasty pacing, fingers tangled in my hair and teeth clenched so tight I had expected to hear a crunch, I had thrown myself into the driver's seat of my car and reunited with Leah at a place I knew I shouldn't have been in, but something in me had snapped.

There were no new leads after all of this time, besides the one that manage to make me vomit. Not one god damn arrest and I was sure as hell I could do a better job than them. I was going to take matters into my own hands. For her.

After having explained the situation to Leah, her and I met five days a week at her shop, practicing with various guns until I could be trusted not to blow my own foot off. When she felt I was ready, she had practically handed over my choice weapon on a golden plate, costing me little to nothing. "I'd just give it to you for free," she mumbled. "If dad didn't constantly check up on our sales."

Upon hearing the new information on Tyler's death, Leah had changed. Not dramatically, but certainly noticeable in my eyes. She walked with purpose. Her head held high and her hands almost always in a fist as she eyed the strangers in her shop. She saw them all as possible enemies and looked to them with judging eyes, just as she did when she was younger. Though this time, not looking for who slept with whose wife or husband or who stole what. Instead, she searched for a killer.

Chewing on my nails, I stared intently at the ticking clock with tired, dry eyes. Waiting, waiting for the moment this dark and unruly journey would begin. The anxiety of this day and the many more to follow after had taken precious sleep from me, just as I was getting back into the swing of things. I hadn't had my usual seven hours since her death, but my body was finally giving in and allowing me to get just enough rest to survive the day before hellish nightmares brought me back to reality, doused in sweat. But now, with my mind dead set on seeking justice, I was unable to sit still long enough for sleep to take me.

Noticing some small movement off to the side, my eyes fell past the clock and looked to the back door, the sunlight beaming against the dull pink curtains that hid the outside world from my eyes. Soft thuds could be heard just before a tall shadow stretched along the fabric. There was a rustling beyond the door, a few clicks and before I knew it, I was no longer alone.

"Afternoon," Leah greeted cheerfully as she slipped her way in rather clumsily. "Lovely day to begin a life of crime, wouldn't you say?" Closing the door behind her, she moved closer to me. Hauling her large duffle bag upwards before slapping it down onto the island, causing a few papers nearby to flutter and fall to the tile, out of our sight.

With a soft sigh, my hand moved from my mouth to rest over my eyes, fingers soothing my temples as I mumbled, "I really wish you would reconsider." She scoffed in reply. "Do you have any leads?" Lowering my hand, I looked to her with an intense stare, shaking my head slowly. "Do you know how to hack?" I answered in the same fashion."Well then. Looks like I'm all you've got." She replied in a fairly sassy tone, wearing a silly smile that quickly faded once she noticed my unwavering gaze, lips pulled into a tight line, showing her I was clearly not amused.

"Look, I know what I'm getting myself into-" "Do you?" "If I didn't I wouldn't be here right now." Shifting in my seat, I leaned forward. Hands dropping and entwining with one another as they fell to hang in the air between my knees. "You could go to jail." "Only if I get caught," she added with a wink. "And believe me, I can be very elusive."

Leah seemed completely unphased by the thought of our possible future. I didn't understand it. I didn't understand how she could smile and joke about silly little things, knowing we were about to throw ourselves down the darkest of tunnels. Never to return. But as I continued to study her, her every motion and twitch of muscle in her face the longer she held her smile, I felt almost..tranquil. The tension had left my shoulders and my clenched jaw had relaxed. She was no crazy broad who faced demons without a sick smile plastered on her face. She was a woman who saw the darkness and laughed through it, so that she wouldn't let it eat her up, breaking her until she was nothing but dust.

I caught myself shedding a small smile as she turned to face me, arms filled to the brim with notebooks, folders, pens and a few snacks. "Lead the way," she ordered.

Sliding off of the chair, I sluggishly made my way into the hallway and up the stairs with my tail close behind. We walked in silence, until we had reached the white, sticker covered door that had been closed ever since the two men had left it in peace. Left _me_ in peace.

With my hand rested on the cold, brass knob, my eyes had slipped shut as my lungs were filled with warm air, preparing myself for the flood of memories. In a quick motion, like ripping a band-aid away, I had flung the door open, but remained on the outside of the room. My feet wouldn't dare cross the line. And though she's been gone for quit some time, to this day, I still expected to see her on the bed, ignoring my calls for her to wake up and get to school.

Releasing my hold, I pulled back, immediately crossing my arms over my chest. Pressing myself tightly to the wall as Leah moved in closer to get a better look of the place. Her eyes roamed the scene for a moment, taking it all in before smiling, stating "Cute room," before slowly making her way in. "Did you decorate or..?" I replied with a simple shake of my head, telling her that I had given my sister control over her own space. It was her canvas to paint. Her world to create.

"Well," with an unnecessary grunt, she bent low and carefully placed all of her things next to the slightly dusty desk that held various stacks of books, figurines and a laptop. "She has great taste, that's for sure."

With wide eyes, I looked to her. Mouth slightly agape as my gentle breathing hitched, startled by her words. Leah had referred to my sister in the present rather than past tense. Like she had never left us. Like she was simply away on a vacation that she would soon return from with glowing, tan skin. I liked the thought, and for a moment felt deceived as my brain went haywire to try to put the pieces back together. But was quickly reminded by the empty space that she wouldn't be coming home to me.

"How about you? Is interior design something in the family?" Straightening my spine, I slapped on a forced smile, leaning against the door-frame as I tried to recall every bedroom and every change I've experienced. Grimacing at the thought of my goth phase. The walls painted red with black borders, including the ceiling fan. Not the most welcoming sight, surely. I had since outgrown such a thing, but even now as an adult I wouldn't trust myself to decorate anyone else's room but my own. I could never stick to a theme. My ADD would go mad as I spotted the most random things and purchase them on a whim, creating quite the artsy mess that unintentionally spilled out into the rest of the home.

"No, definitely not." I replied with a small chuckle. "Just her and my mother. Dad and I are the type of people who don't give a shit how anything looks." With a mildly annoyed groan, she took a seat at the desk, her hand roaming lightly over the black surface of the computer. "Damn.. I was gonna see if you could fix up my place a bit." "I'm sure my mom would lo-" She waved her hand, dismissing my suggestion as she put her full attention into the object beneath her palm, slowly opening it. "Nah. Don't worry about it."

Jaw tightly clenched, I took a steady breath as my eyes slipped shut. Not wanting to see the life she once lived. I could hear the ruffling of papers and clicks of pens as Leah got to work. I allowed my curiosity get the best of me for the shortest of moments before immediately regretting the decision to take a look. I was still too weak for this. So with the softest of whispers, I excused myself and made my way back downstairs with haste. Like a monster had practically chased me away from its territory and once I was far enough, I felt a sense of relief. The dark monster that lurked on the top floor had vanished. I could no longer smell its rancid breath or see its sharp teeth, ready to rip out my fragile heart and use it as a chew toy before spitting it back into its cage. Leaving me a whole lot weaker than I was before.

It's been like this for quite some time. Ever since Tyler left, the entire top floor held nothing but darkness for me. If I ever had to travel up that way, my stay was either quick and painless, or I would sit and wait until I felt the need to crawl out of my own skin and rush back down the steps without a second thought. Though, on the nights where I was practically dead weight, I would collapse into my bed and slip away before the unsettling feeling had the chance to sink in. Other times I would grow angry over the fact that I couldn't sleep in my own bed and storm into my room, throw myself down and glare at the ceiling until sleep took over and when I just couldn't handle it, I'd grab my things and move to the couch. The mornings that followed would be spent groaning over numb arms and lack of strength. My back would crack and cry in pain as I tried to bend over. My head would only turn right, never left but it was worth it.

With a hefty sigh, I fell into my temporary bed. My back sinking into the soft cushions and the many piled up blankets that I had shoved aside had fallen onto my lap. I fiddled with the soft fabric as I looked ahead, catching sight of my tired reflection in the broken and now useless TV. I felt yawn trying to push itself forward, struggling against my clenched jaw until I just couldn't hold it back any longer. I gave in and heavy eyes followed soon after, suddenly feeling exhausted. Figuring that Leah was a big girl, I had collapsed, dragging every blanket to lay in a disorganized mess over my body before tucking my hands under the pillow. She's visited enough to know where things were and if she really needed me, she would wake me up without the slightest bit of guilt. But right now, my unconscious mind needed me more than she did.

* * *

An eternity was spent standing still. My wide eyes burning a hole into the closed and locked front door of my home that didn't exactly..feel like my home. Everything was so perfect under this roof. The walls held no cracks and were painted a solid color without the slightest fade or hiccup. The shelves were stacked with beautiful books and unlit candles. My living room was no longer host to a young woman, struggling to live with herself. The carpet was spotless and every inch of wooden flooring shined obnoxiously. Vases that I've not once seen before were scattered around the lower floor, holding beautiful flowers of many kinds. Soaking in the bright sunlight that poured in through the windows. But I wasn't taking it all in. I had acknowledged it but never truly investigated or questioned it. I was too busy waiting for nothing to happen. I had no control over my own body for so long and I so desperately wanted to rip the door open and run out into a word that was designed just for me. It was truly one of the most boring dreams I've ever had. Until thunderous knocks could be heard. The door rattling slightly with the great force applied. Now startled, I felt myself gain control, yet I still remained in place.

"Ms. Lewis," my visitor stated rather loudly. "it's Agent Ford. I'd like to speak with you."

Pushing forward, I found myself at the door a lot quicker than I had expected, ripping it open to reveal the green-eyed man dressed in the same suit he wore when I last saw him and I didn't mind one bit.

Upon seeing me, he shed a crooked smile as he greeted me with a simple "Hi. Listen I uh.. I heard there was a disturbance in the area."

"I-I haven't heard anything-" "Really?" he replied smoothly while moving in closer, causing me to back away from the door and into the hallway. He was eventually in the house, not once taking his eyes off of me or removing that sly smile of his. "I've been told otherwise."

I couldn't help but tremble slightly. Feeling weakened by the storm that danced around in my chest. I felt the sweat my nerves brought about glide against the coarse fabric of my denim button up. I was unable to decipher if this would soon turn into a nightmare, or a blissful dream but I desperately hoped for the latter. I felt myself grow hot at the mere thought of it, but remained calm as he continued his pursuit. His hand blindly searching for the door, slamming it shut behind him.

"I don't know what you're talking abou-" Before I knew it, my back was to the wall and his breath was tickling my skin. His eyes were dark with either lust, or rage. It took for his lips crashing onto mine in order for that question to be answered. I was a little surprised, to say the least, but accepted his affection and returned it with just as much power. He fought for dominance and I would one up him which would in turn make him more aggressive.

In a swift motion he had swiped his arm over the counter, removing every object that adorned it before lifting me and placing my apparent bare ass on its cold surface. His hands immediately moving to rip my top open, exposing my chest which he littered with kisses and gentle nips while I struggled to remove his pants. They barely had the chance to fall to his ankles before he slammed himself into me. Startled by the sudden pressure, I gasped but was quickly silenced by his calloused hand as he continued to move in and out of me roughly. But the noises at the back of my throat had come to a halt as I soon realized that I..couldn't feel him. I felt nothing. Not the warmth of his breath, the wetness between my legs or the pleasure he brought with every thrust. I should have known better. It was rare to experience sex within a dream and to actually feel as if it were real. I got lucky here and there, but it would never feel exactly like the real thing, but at least there was some feeling to it and I was hoping that this would be one of those times. But alas, I was left to sit here and take all he had to offer me and act as if I were actually enjoying it. I suppose the act of it was rather comforting, though. Having someone need to need me and distract me from all else.

"Evalyn," he cried into my neck. One hand tangled through his soft, brown hair while the other rested on his lower back, pulling him in with every motion.

He would mutter my name again and again. Each time shifting in pitch and tone. His voice slowly grew more feminine and much more..aggravated.

"Evalyn!" The invading voice shouted, pulling me away from the beautiful man and the world we were sharing.

With tired eyes, I managed to force them open just enough to catch sight of Leah looming over me. Arms crossed and an all-knowing smirk on her lips. Groaning, the arm that had been resting over my forehead had slipped low enough to shield my eyes from her.

"Morning, sunshine."

"How long was I asleep?" I mumbled.

"Five hours. That's quite a power nap, if you ask me. I thought about waking you up but I couldn't possibly bare the thought of interrupting your 'happy time'" she replied with a snicker and instead of delivering a witty comeback, I merely grunted and rolled over to my side. With my motion came a sudden collapse of papers.

Looking down, I frowned at a stack of now disorganized papers that lay between me and the back of the couch. "What's all of this?" I asked as I slowly sat up, collecting every sheet, scanning over the words that seemed like gibberish in my current state. My eyes fell on the folder they all spilled from and flipped to its cover and in sharpie, the title "Tyler Lewis' Case" and I was floored. My eyes grew wide and my mouth fell open to catch the flies. "This isn't-" I squeaked out in disbelief, quickly disregarding the folder and examining every page very closely until I noticed a few had faces of unfamiliar people stamped onto its surface.

"These are-" "Suspects."

Just as I was about to ask how she was able to get all of this information, she stated rather excitedly, "I'm hungry. Are you hungry? I think we should go get some pizza," before marching off to the front door, swiping my car keys off of the counter. "Are you coming or not?"

I hastily shoved all of the files back into the folder and nearly threw myself at my companion, lazily slipping my shoes and coat on and following her out to my car, which she refused to let me drive, seeing as I just woke up. She blared the radio and tapped her hands against the steering wheel, appearing completely unphased by what she had done. Like it was just another day to her while I stared down at my lap, carelessly flipping through it all and stating "I can't believe you did all of this." I was practically worshiping the ground she walked on and she was happily soaking it all in, wordlessly up until we reached the pizza joint where we snagged a booth in the far corner. Far away from anyone who felt the need to eavesdrop. Not that we had many people to worry about, considering the time. But we wanted to be incredibly cautious.

After placing our order, Leah had snatched up the folder, sorting through it all and organizing each profile with spare paper hair pins she had in her bag before laying them out for me to examine properly.

"How-how did you even get these?" "Well," she started up as she settled into her seat. Getting quite relaxed before she re-lived her evening that I apparently wasn't apart of. "First, I started with Tyler's email and discovered she was a frequent MySpace user, which I also broke into. Before anyone even got the slightest of glimpses that her account was active once again, I changed it to "Offline" and sifted through old messages. Focusing mainly on messages that occurred either the day of her murder, or a few days prior. I didn't find much for a while. A lot of silly banter between her and some guy who I'm pretty sure was flirting with her."

A short-lived smile played over my features as I continued to scan the over the pictures of these strangers. Remembering the night I found Tyler flipping through channels looking rather irritated. She confessed to me then that there was this boy that she'd only just begun hanging out with and he was already showing signs that he wanted more than just friendship. She didn't know how to react, let alone what she even wanted and felt put off by that. She eventually told him she's just a confused little teenager and they continued their friendship and he wouldn't let up on the cute words. Hopeful of a possible future with her.

"That'd be Riley " I replied. I met him a few times. He'd come home with Tyler a few times with a certain twinkle in his eyes as he watched her go upstairs. I would do the usual threats and glares until I grew to trust him. But the threats never ended. Not once. Though they were soon empty words and he was able to laugh it off and make sad attempts at scaring me.

"Well, you'll be happy to know he's nowhere on that list." "I didn't think he would be." "Feeling a little weird about going through their private moments, I moved on and found messages between her and this Alexis girl-" In an instant, my eyes shifted to one of the final files. The picture of a young girl with icy blond hair and lips painted a vibrant red. "Uh huh?" I mumbled through gritted teeth.

"They seemed to be pretty close. They kept talking about the party and Tyler didn't seem to be all that excited to go. She was nervous because I guess there would be some new people there and Alexis just kept pushing her until she caved. I didn't like that. It seemed a bit suspicious so I went into her account, next and when I got into her messages.. Jackpot." "Jackpot." I muttered darkly as I continued to glare at this girls face. "Turns out little Alexis is into some fucked up shit and so are a few of her friends."

Lowering my eyes from her stupid smile, I found her apparent name printed in bold, "Alexis Jane Thompson." In that moment, I felt myself tremble with anger. The paper slowly being crushed into my fists, but before it was completely damaged, Leah had pulled it from my grasp with ease, placing it back into the folder along with the rest of the files. Slowly, she leaned forward, resting on her folded arms, desperately trying to meet my eyes that were now staring at the red, glistening table. "Evalyn, I'm sorry-" She was cut off as our waitress returned with a large, circular disk that was covered in a disgustingly cheesy pizza that normally I would practically pitch a tent over. Leah thanked her with a bright smile on her face before returning her attention to my crumbling composure.

"Her best friend betrayed her." I stated as the fists were brought down to rest on the warm surface, carefully avoiding my dinner. "Alexis..murdered my sister." "No. Alexis was only part of it. This was.. I hate to say it, but this was a group of people. Every face you saw tonight are the ones that were in on it." "And you know this? You're so certain of yourself yet I see no pro-" With a swift motion, she had wiped out a thick fold of papers, resting between two fingers as she held it in front of my dumb face. "In here is a printed copy of every message between the suspects. Your proof is right in here. Now, we could end this all tonight. All we would have to do is take this over to the Police Department and they'd be arrested."

Ripping the papers from her hand, I had tucked it away into my coat pocket. Not ready to read them, but keeping them closer for when I would be. "No. They won't treat them fairly." "Fairly?" "A man rapes you of your innocence, so you take away what makes him a man. You lose sight in your eye, so you take it away from the one who stole it from you. You take a life, you lose yours. That's what I believe in and it might sound fucked up, but-" "No." She jumped in with a very serious look in her eyes. "All my life I've believed in an eye for an eye and if people have such a problem with it, then maybe they shouldn't do such terrible shit."

A great weight had been lifted from my shoulders then and a slow exhale through the nose had calmed me down quite a bit. I no longer felt nauseous at the thought of Alexis Thompson and what I would do to her when I found her. I felt nothing but anticipation and only a very small amount of fear. It was nearly buried beneath everything else. I wouldn't be alone on this, though in a way, I wish I would be. I didn't need the guilt to follow her through her life, but, she seemed just as driven as I was and it's not like I could turn her back around now. Though fearful of her own future, I was also grateful for her help and comfort.

Leaning back in unison I had crossed my arms over my chest. "I can't believe it. In five hours all I did was have imaginary intercourse that lasted like five minutes and you somehow conjured up all of this information."

She stifled a laugh as she finally began to dig into our late supper. "It was actually really fucking difficult."


	8. Beginning of the End

Today was just another day. A day like any other, is what I kept telling myself.

It was one of my first days back to work since the incident. I would share light smiles and crack small jokes as I tried to weasel my way back into normality, but would later be found locked in the bathroom with stained tissue pressed to the corners of my eyes.

"I'm okay," I would say with a forced smile and a great sniff, "I'm fine, I promise." And with saddened eyes, the arms of either Kimmie or Carol would be wrapped around my shoulders, ushering me out of my hole and back out into the sunlight where they would kindly suggest counseling or taking another vacation, reassuring me that William would be more than happy to pass it.

"No. No, I need this. I need to be..out of the house, busy. Distracted. Besides, I need the money." The end of my statement would always remain a lie. I didn't need the money. I was born with greedy fingers and clung to every penny I collected and with every allowance, job and bonus checks, I was able to scrounge up quite a bit of paper. Enough to spoil myself and Tyler and to still survive for months without a job to support us. Though that would eventually fall apart, forcing me back into manual labor.

But I hadn't cried today. Not once.

I silently stocked the shelves with various knickknacks in an organized mess. Making sure they looked shiny and new for any possible new owners. I was quiet. Unusually quiet considering I at least tried to be social the last few times. But trying to live the day as if I wasn't about to commit the ultimate sin in a matter of hours was impossible. Today wasn't just like any other day. Today was the day I surrendered myself to the dark thoughts that plagued my mind.

Tonight my hands would be stained with red.

"Evalyn, darling?" A sweet and almost angelic voice called, pulling me back into reality and away from my hideous thoughts.

My folded arms tightened around the pile of objects that lay in them as I slowly turned to face an elderly woman. Her red smile was uneasy as she gave me the look over. Examining my body language before taking the risk to speak to me, like she always had. This woman; Carol, the owner of this beautiful shop and mother to William, treated me as if we were family. I wouldn't necessarily say she was like a mother to me. She was more of an..aunt, or something. She called to make sure I had everything I needed so that I could continue my new life of being a shut-in, would occasionally offer to take me out when she felt I had been cooped up for too long and made sure I was always smiling, even if it was fake, which I had slapped on immediately once I realized who needed my attention.

"What can I do for you?" I asked as I continued to fiddle with porcelain angels on the shelf.

"I hate to ask this of you-" she started up, quickly being cut off by my small chuckle, before stating "Stop that. Stop taking it easy on me just because of what happened. Slap me around, yell at me a little! I have to toughen up again."

Maybe that would make tonight a little easier.

When I returned my gaze to her, my crooked grin faded as I noticed how serious she appeared. "No," Carol muttered. "I will do no such thing. When I lost my father I mourned for a whole year and when people tried to put me back on the right track I lashed out. I wasn't ready to move on and neither are you. In time you'll be back to rolling your eyes as I bark orders and guilt you into working longer shifts. But that time is still quite a ways away, Evalyn."

With a soft gulp, I closed my eyes and shifted in place. "Carol, how do you kno-" a chilled hand smelling of cinnamon was clamped over my mouth, silencing me. "Trust me, I know. Now," removing her hand, she slipped it beneath the box in my arms, her other hand resting on its opened top as she slowly pulled it from my hold. "William dragged in quite a mess when he was taking all of those boxes out. I'd ask him to clean it up but he's currently with customers. Would you-?"

With a small chuckle, I nodded silently and she thanked me with saddened eyes, begging for forgiveness. I merely brushed it off and made my way to the back with a smile etched into place. Sure enough, along the way to the closet that was stocked full of cleaning supplies, thick chunks of mud and footprints decorated the otherwise perfect grey carpet. The mess seemed to fade out the further it got from the door, eventually my gaze landed on William who was still in the general area where the prints finally vanished. He seemed completely oblivious to the damage he had done. But I would be sure to let him know in the most obnoxious way possible, soon enough.

Humming along to the beat of some popular pop song I had heard all this week, yet failed to ever learn the lyrics, I began to carefully sweep away the dirt. Some clumps ended up leaving streaks as they fled, giving me more to clean. It didn't take long for me to grow tired of the expanding mess, so I ditched the broom and squatted down low, picking up the dirt and collecting it in my palms. I would waddle my way around awkwardly and throw them out the door once my hands became full and started all over again until nothing but dust remained. Now stained with the Earth, my hands took hold of the broom once again and I swept the remnants away. But not without getting distracted by the ring of the doors bell. My usual curiosity caused me to take a short glance through fallen strands of hair before immediately looking back down. The image of the customer slowly sunk in, forcing my slight smile to trickle down until my mouth was left agape. Almost terrified of what I would see, I carefully averted my attention back to the front. I was distracted by the brilliant pink toe nails poking through ankle boots that I was so tempted to compliment, but mentally knocked some sense into myself. Her long legs were hidden beneath torn and tattered jeans, rolled up to just below the knee and with a plain white shirt, she seemed pretty average. Just your normal, everyday young woman.

But not to me. This woman was one of the few that haunted my nightmares. I've seen her standing in a group of familiar faces, blood smeared over their skin and clothes with various weapons clutched in their grips. They slaughtered my family. They tortured me mentally and soon physically. I've seen her beneath me. Her wardrobe torn and stained, panic filling her black eyes as I delivered her the same kindness she showed my sister. We've fought to the death countless times and it didn't always end in my favor and I felt it, all of it. The pain of having my insides ripped apart by blades or bullets, the explosion in my chest as my breath was taken from me and the rush of returning those favors and the terror of enjoying every second of it. Those nightmares had turned to daydreams in a matter of seconds. I was stuck, staring at her perfect face and imagining running up to her and smacking it with my fist. I wanted to take her down and wrap my fingers around her neck. I needed this woman out of sight, out of mind so that I could finally rest.

Then I caught myself becoming that person again. The person I dreaded to be.

Closing my eyes, I took deep breaths. Pulling my mind away from the horror, desperate to find a happier place and when I felt I had reached it, a slow exhale passed my lips and sight was returned to me, only to find a dark scene. The store had been emptied all personnel and customers, safe for the one. Her body rested lazy against the wall, her head hung low and her once perfectly long, silky, straight hair was frizzled. Shirt torn and bloodied, just like in many of my dreams. Her slender legs lay out before her, her feet slumped to the sides and directing my eyes to a trail of smeared crimson that came to an end at my feet. Though my shoes remained clean, the rest of me was not. Especially my hands. The pale skin was hidden under this woman's blood and I let out a cry at the sight as I desperately tried to scrub myself clean. It spread like wild-fire and I backed away from it as quickly as possible before colliding with the door to the outside. The cold slab of wood startled me, but not as much as the meaty fingers that dug into my upper arms, causing me to shriek in terror and whip around to see.. William. His deep blue eyes wide, filled with much concern as he gave me a look over. His hands now resting gingerly on my shoulders, steadying my swaying body.

"Evalyn? Hey, come on, focus!" He whispered loudly as I made a pathetic attempt to fight him off, but settled once his voice reached my ears. A hand rose to cup my cheek, then the back of it was pressed to my forehead, searching for a possible fever. "What was that all about? You having a freak-out or something?" "Will!" His mother gasped as she stormed over, her fragile hands taking hold of me and removing me from his grasp. "Have some sensitivity, would you?" She spat before moving in to whisper "Go home" in my ear. With hands still trembling, though now clean, I looked to the store and felt my face flush with embarrassment. Every eye was on me. Including the woman. I made a hasty retreat, threw myself into the driver's seat and sat there for a good ten minutes trying to collect myself. I was fucking hallucinating. Never in my life have I done such a thing and of course my first experience had to be horrifying.

* * *

I watched with a bored expression as the clips were loaded into the guns by a gloved hand. Silencers were applied, checked and double checked before being set aside on a thick cloth laying over the table. The woman handling the weapons, was silent and focused. We had barely spoken since I had arrived. We briefly went over the plan and mumbled statements here and then. I could tell it was building in her though. She had something to say, something to ask and she wasn't letting it out. She would pause in the middle of preparation, place clenched fists on the hard surface, open her mouth just slightly before sealing it tight and returning to work only to repeat the process just a few more times.

Letting out the softest of sighs, I turned to face the TV stand, now empty, frowning as I remembered how much I missed plopping down in front of the large Television that was no longer. Catching up on my favorite shows, playing drinking games and then laughing myself until I had peed. I missed the normal, mundane shit. Where I wasn't some tragic, broken soul that needed to be sheltered from every little harsh word or to be coddled. How was I supposed to move on if they kept reminding me.

"Alright," Leah huffed as she finished loading one of many temporary bags with tonight's things. Palms were faced down, holding her up as she leaned closer towards me. "What's up?" she asked with a fairly serious tone.

"I could list a few things. Ah, the sky? Stars, planes, boner's, cars of the future. ..Jesus? But he's like way up there." "No! None of that shit. I'm serious. The moment you walked in through that door something was off. You reeked of fear." Pushing herself up off of the island, she made her way around, pulling up a stool just next to me, taking a seat. "What's up with you? Are you backing out?" "Of course not!" She cocked a brow at me. "You sure? Because before we even think about taking a step out of this house, I need to know you're still in this."

Arms folded over one another, I leaned in closer to her, muttering lowly, "I'm not backing out." With a short and stern stare down, she found herself being able to trust my words and slumped a little. "Okay, so..?" "So nothing! I-I had a minor freak out today at work and I was just shaken up about it. But I'm over it now, okay?" "What kind of freak out?" With an eye roll and an exaggerated sigh, I slid off of my seat and moved to pick up the bag she had prepared for tonight, slinging it over my shoulder. "Does it matter? It's over now and I'm fine."

She didn't seem to sure at my attempt at reassuring, staring long and hard, waiting for me to crack and throw my hands up into the air and abandon the whole mission. But that wasn't happening any time soon. "Just trust me, okay? I'm in this. Now," I started up in a completely different tone, sounding very much not myself. "let's take care of business."

A smile finally shined on her face as she pushed herself up, collecting a few more things for the short trip while I turned on the radio, flicking a few more lights on to make it seem as if someone were home. With the front door locked and one window left barely open, we snuck out the back door and under the cover of night, we blended and made way to her car which she drove in complete silence and left just a block or so away from our actual destination. The slam of our doors were softer than usual. Hard enough to seal up tight but not loud enough to disturb any sleeping bodies. Certainly not enough to draw attention. To avoid the street lights, we ran to the backyards and remained close to any and all trees or any form of shading that would hide us from the moon all while weaving in between the bushes, play sets, pools and tiny bikes for the children. But unfortunately, in her haste, Leah had stepped on a baseball and in the blink of an eye, collided with the soft grass with an "ooph" passing through her lips. She mumbled and groaned for a moment while I was frozen in place, watching her with wide eyes as she struggled to regain her composure. Once I noted she was perfectly fine, safe for her broken pride, I watched the house we happened to stop at. There was zero movement. Not even a noise came from inside, but that didn't calm me down at all.

Leah scrambled quickly to take shelter behind some brush, looking to me as she mouthed "Ow!"

With a flick of my wrist, I gestured for her to keep moving before I ended up having a panic attack over possibly being caught by neighbors that weren't even paying attention.

Once she had made her move, I followed suit and as we left the risky area, we stepped out into the open, still shrouded by a mass of tall trees. "I'm fine, by the way," she stated angrily. I merely cracked a sly grin as I stared at the house before us. A pathway made of brick cut right down the freshly cut lawn, leading up to stone steps that hosted small potted plants and flowers. A white banister encased the seemingly clean porch and just beyond that, two, tall windows on either side of a black door, surrounded by a fairly light color that I couldn't make out in the lack of light. In the windows, a faint glow behind the white curtains. Showing that there was indeed life in there, but it wasn't upfront where we had expected it to be. Ms. Williams was elsewhere in the house.

Finding an unlit portion of the street, we ran to the other side, remaining low and signaling for one another to find a point of entry without her seeing us. Luckily, she was busy in the kitchen, giving my partner and I many possibilities. Unfortunately, due to the near straight shot from the living room to the kitchen and having her bedroom more than likely upstairs, we were forced to use the bathroom. It was a risky move, for sure. Not like this entire mission wasn't risky to begin with.

The widow was wide, but short. Leaving me to press myself down low, grinding against the sill as I slowly made my way in. Using the toilet as a stool, I collected myself on top of it before slowly easing my way down onto the dark grey tile. The half bathroom was small, a little too small for my liking and by the time Leah had managed to snake her way in, I had begun to sweat as my nerves went wild.

She maneuvered around me, placing the hefty bag on the sink as I pressed my ear to the door, listening out for any sudden company. As the familiar feeling of my gun graced my palm, I sighed in relief as the sense of control took over. Any and all feelings of fear had left me once I felt the cold metal in my tight grip.

I could do this.

Without waiting for Leah, the mask was pulled over my mouth and I cracked open the door, taking a very short glance around the thin wood, spotting the young woman's back to me, still working in the pristine looking kitchen. I hear Leah call to me softly as I begin to make my way towards her with cautious steps, thanking the higher power for carpet instead of wood flooring. My eyes never leaving her, glaring daggers into her back as she hummed a happy song. Placing a large bowl in the sink, she turned my way and I pressed myself tightly to the wall, hiding in the shadows while she remained oblivious, searching for a dry cloth and once she had found it, she returned to work and so did I.

I will do this.

Deciding against lingering too long, I had pushed myself forward, practically flying out of the dark and into her kitchen. She had no time to register that someone had even entered her house until she was thrown to the ground with a fistful of her hair in my grip. Panicked, her hands had swiped along the counters, forcing the silverware and plates onto the floor, some shattering in an instant and others simply rolling away. I readjusted my hold on her, twirling her long locks around my fingers until my knuckles grazed her scalp and I pulled her close so that all she could see, was Leah standing still in the distance, her emerald eyes glimmering through the dark.

"Oh my God," the young woman murmured. Her nails clawing at my gloved hand in hopes to pry me away, but gave up once she noticed I wasn't working alone. "Oh God," she repeated in a soft whimper. Her hands not falling from my own, waiting for the opportune moment. "What? What do you want?" simultaneously, Leah and I looked to one another, remaining silent as she continued to grovel and offer her belongings in exchange.

"Please just tell me what you want! I'll give you anything!" "Denelle Williams," Leah spoke up, causing the woman to go frigid with shock.

"Twenty-five years of age with no children. Recently engaged, I heard. Congratulations, I guess. It's a shame you won't be attending your own wedding."

"H-how do you-how do you know that?" She managed to sputter out in between her sobs and ugly sniffles. She made an attempt and moving closer to Leah, prepared to confront her but I had pulled her back, placing her in a headlock. Startled by the sudden movement and now pressure on her throat, she choked for a moment before trying to ask again. But before she could get very far, she once again went cold.

"No," she whispered in what seemed to be disbelief.

"No! No this isn't fair!" Again, her fingers dug into me, desperate for an escape as she swayed from side to side violently and the only possible way to make her stop, was to slam her into the ground, which is exactly what I did. Lifting my body up, I was able to drop more weight onto her slim form and press her into the cold tile with my arm now holding her head down. "I would suggest you stop struggling," I threatened in a voice that was very much..not mine. It was not one i had heard before. Maybe in my nightmares but never from my own throat. It was menacing, full of hatred and barely above a whisper so that only she heard it.

"This isn't what I was promised! You filthy bastards cheated me! I bet you've already killed the others," she cried out.

"Nope. We chose you to be our first. Aren't you lucky?" Leah replied, trying to act as if she knew what Denelle was talking about all the while giving me very confused looks.

"You son of a bitch! I didn't get blood on my hands just so I could die in a matter of months!"

As her words sunk in, my hold on her tightened and I felt my body tremble with anger. She practically referred to Tyler as "just blood."

With gritted teeth, I lifted her head before slamming it back down quickly into the floor. "That was my sister you good for nothing piece of shit!" I could feel her bones crack under the force I began to unintentionally apply. "My baby sister! You took her from me and now," I trailed off as I leaned in closely. "I'm going to take you away from your family."

As she slowly recovered from her new injuries, she was able to let this information settle in and seemed more..at ease. A little more confident as she delivered a blow to the side of my head with her elbow. There was enough force to throw me off of her back and up against the cupboards, holding the side of my head as my world spun out of control. As her blurred body scrambled to stand and run, I managed to throw myself forward and snag the hem of her jeans, but the grip wasn't tight enough and she simply slipped through my fingers. There was a muffled gun shot, but the commotion continued as Leah fought with the woman and by the time I had collected myself, I stood to find her about to lunge at my companion, pocket knife in hand and without a second thought, I raised my weapon and pulled the trigger.

As the bullet pierced her skull, blood decorated the sofa, the carpet, the glass table top and of course, Leah. Her porcelain face freckled with crimson, eyes wide as she watched the body fall with a great thud.

"Th-thanks, man."

With eyes locked on what was once Denelle Williams, I slowly moved towards her. Almost afraid of what I'd find once I got there. "She fucking knocked the gun out of my hand." Leah groaned as she went to retrieve it from the corner it slid to. "Have any idea what she was on about?" "Not a clue." "I hate to say this, Eva, but from what I heard, Denelle got a little something out of your sister's death." With a grunt, I squatted down low, grasping the woman's shoulder and giving it a tug until she was resting on her back, eyes staring straight up at the ceiling with blood from her skull trickling down her soft face.

"The question is..what? What did she get and who the fuck would make that kind of deal?" "I'm sure we'll find out," I replied with a heavy sigh. Not fully prepared for the weight this new life would bring along with it. I had chosen the much darker path and I knew what the obstacles would be, but I couldn't see the end of it. I had no idea what lay waiting for me there but I couldn't exactly turn around now. Not when I had already pulled the trigger.

"So what do we do now?" The bag we had left in the bathroom was suddenly dropped next to me, landing dangerously close to the pool of blood that had began to form. "We clean," she replied with a smirk.

Together, we bandaged up Denelle to prevent the mess from spreading, and simply carried her out to the garage through the house, leaving her in the backseat of her car while we got to work. The blood was cleaned first. We scrubbed and scrubbed with various mixtures of cleaners until the spot had vanished just enough blend in with ease. The broken glass was next. Every little piece was collected and thrown into the trash bin and the surviving kitchen ware was cleaned and placed right where it belonged. Along with the ones still in the sink. Any and all food that was found on the counter was placed in its proper home as well and as for the bullet hole in the wall, we simply carved out the bullet and placed a cookie jar in front of the hole. There wasn't much we could do about it.

And finally, just as we prepared to leave, we slipped off our shoes and roamed the house in thick socks as we wiped down any surface our shoes had touched, even the lid of the toilet and the windowsill. Once the lights were turned off, we removed our masks and separated. I had taken on the task of stealing both car and body, while Leah left in a dash to retrieve her own car which she followed me in at a distance. We managed to meet up at a remote location without any trouble whatsoever. The body was placed in a large pit we had built prior to this night and set on fire, while we went to work on the vehicle. Crowbars, hammers and steel bats shattered the windows and dented the frame until it was just a large, disheveled hunk of shit. The tires were slashed, removed and thrown into the fire while Leah ripped the license plate away, stuffing it into her bag, saying she would deal with it later. The little, blue Chevrolet Cobalt was then pushed a few feet until it rested on the edge of a minor cliff, where we let it tumble and roll into the water down below. We watched as the current swept it away while the water flooded in, slowly pulling the vehicle down to the murky depths where it would hopefully never be found. Once it was completely out of sight, we turned to watch the body, which was nothing but ash by this point. But to be sure every last remnant of her body had crumbled away into dust, we let the fire go on for another hour or so.

When 4am came around, we finally put the fire out and mixed the ashes into the soil and the logs we had used were buried somewhere off to the side to make it seem as if the location hadn't been occupied in quite some sprinkled fresh dirt around the area and continued to do so as we made our way back to the car. Hiding our tracks.

"I really hope you're wrong, Leah," I spoke up as I lazily fell into the passenger seat. Sighing happily over the thought of finally being able to get some sleep.

"Wrong? About what?"

"About the profit gained from murder."


	9. Titanic

**Dean POV**

"This is ridiculous," I spat.

"I know."

"I mean we questioned everyone, Sammy, and I mean everyone!" With my face slowly scrunching up, I backtracked as my brain said "_No. No you did not talk to everyone._"

"Okay well we talked to most of them. But none of them even remotely seemed suspicious! I mean that one guy was a total Jesus freak." "Maybe they genuinely don't know what happened that night?" With a scoff, I turned back to the mass of paperwork, flipping through it aimlessly and tossing the ones marked with a big black 'X' out of the pile and onto the floor. "Or they're really good actors." Catching sight of a particular picture, I paused and grinned to myself as my imagination went wild. If she wasn't currently on the suspect list, I'd have her laid out on the hood of my car and if it turns out she's just as innocent as she tried to appear, who knows. I may still do that.

I was relishing in the false reality going on in my head now. Caught up in the moment when a firm throw pillow collided with my face, startling me and also knocking the files right out of my hands. "What the hell, Sam?" "I asked you a question!" Frowning at his response, I leaned back into the head-board as I tried to recall his voice ever really reaching my ear. "Huh.." I clicked my tongue. "Nope. Got nothin'"

With a roll of his eyes and his hands on his hips, he turned to me, causing me to chuckle at how sassy and genuinely annoyed he was. "Alright, alright. Calm down Samantha." "I asked who else did we have to talk to." "Uh.." With a groan, I stretched myself forward, leaning over the edge of the bed to collect the profiles without leaving the comfort of the mattress. "God, I don't know. Um.." I muttered as I flipped handfuls of papers around, mostly finding those we had already visited. Sam eventually took pity on me and squatted down to my level, picking up the scattered and instead of him scrambling about to find our next person of interest like I was, he found her in an instant and when I caught sight of her, I grinned once more. "Well she's cute." "Dean!" "What? Innocent until proven guilty, remember?" As he sighed, he stood with the womans information in hand, grabbing our blazers while I continued to collect the pile lazily and once I had finished, I joined him, taking my jacket from his hands. "She looks like the Seafood type. I can do seafood." Sam merely hummed in response as we left our motel room, moving to take Baby back out on the road. "She doesn't look too high maintenance either. Not like that other girl. She looked like a lot of wo-" "Okay, Dean, I get it. You're looking to get laid and that's fine. But could you _please_ at least size up your next victim when we finish with this case? These girls your ogling could have committed homicide! Until this is over, can you just think with your head and not your-your..yannow." He finished looking very uncomfortable as his eyes darted around, blinking rapidly.

His awkwardness had brought an ugly snort out of me as I settled into my seat. "Yeah, okay. Sure thing, Sammy." Throwing the remaining files into his lap, I started up the engine and smiled as she roared into life.

"Gotta admit it though, hot," was the final statement I made, which brought a small smile to his lips. He didn't agree or disagree, but I knew my brother. Somewhere, hidden beneath that polished and respectable exterior, he was thinking the same thing I was, just a bit less raunchy and a lot more hand holding.

With a ten minute drive under our belts and a short five-minute break to devour a poor excuse of a pie I had run into a store to purchase, we had reached the outer rim of the town. Driving slowly down streets as we carefully countered the numbers posted on houses and mailboxes. I pointed out that the area looked familiar. Far too familiar and I questioned him repeatedly if this was the right street and once we reached the end I simply parked the car while he read and re-read the file. His face would scrunch together and he would flip back and forth, mumbling to himself.

With a fallen expression, his hands collapsed into his lap, eyes set dead ahead as he spoke lowly. "What?" He repeated the same phrase, still very hushed. "Come on, man. Inunc-inuci-enunc-" "It's _'enunciate_', Dean." Confused and feeling a little bashful that once again, my baby brother had put my in my place, I stared at him in silence as I searched for a snappy reply. All I could manage was to clear my throat and say, "Yeah, well, no one asked you."

Sam quickly confessed, much louder this time, that he had read the wrong file and had brought us back to Eric Burkstrands neighborhood. He quickly located the right address and led me there without any further mishap.

When we arrived to the seemingly quiet house, the area was fairly lively. Children were out on their front lawns throwing large, colorful bouncing balls back and forth, playing tag or house in their little plastic huts or out in their driveways, using chalk to create their own world or draw their best friend. Their guardians, whoever they may be to the children watched with smiling faces from either within the house, or out enjoying the sun as they talked to family and friends. But as the Impala slowed to a stop in front of the grey house, attention had shifted our way for only a second before they continued with their conversations.

Occasionally giving the scene behind us a short glance, we made our way up the path and up the stairs where dying potted plants rested. Taking the side of his fist, Sam gave the black door three hard knocks before turning the hand back to its pocket. He rocked on his heels while my eyes scanned the porch and all I saw was a lot of leaves, dirt and more dead flowers. "Not much of a green thumb, is she?"

He cocked a brow at that before delivering the door another blow, calling out her name. "We just need to ask you a few questio-" "Oh no you don't!" A voice cried out from nearby, immediately bringing our eyes to fall on a cozy, brown house just next-door.

The home owner, an elderly woman with short, black hair came charging down the front steps as quickly as frail her body would allow, her husband catching the door as it swung shut to see what had caused her outburst. We had tried to meet her halfway, but she managed to reach her neighbor's lawn, stern finger raised as she began to shout. "Now, I've had enough of you cops!" "Ma'am, we-" "The entire block has had enough and so has she! She's just found her happiness and she can't take a single moment to enjoy it because someone wants to ask her '_a few more questions_'." "Ma'am," Sam started up. "With all due respect, we're just doing our job-" "Your job? Ha! You've squeezed every bit of information out of these people. I say if you haven't found the killer yet then you shouldn't be an officer in the first place!" "Jackie!" A tall, slender man called out as he rushed to us, his fingers taking a strong but gentle hold of her shoulders covered in floral print, pulling her close to him.

"Jackie, that's enough, darling." "But these men-" "I know, I know. Why don't you just..let me handle them, alright?"

She seemed reluctant at first. Her teeth and fists clenching over and over again until she finally groaned, turning on her heel and heading back into her house with the slam of the door, causing her husband to wince.

"Ah, her body may be getting older but her spirit sure isn't," he chuckled, bringing us great relief.

"Ross Novitske," he greeted with a strong handshake. "So, detectives.. I'm assuming this is about that Lewis girl?" Together, we replied with a silent nod and the man suddenly looked sullen. "Well, I hate to tell you this but Denelle hasn't been home in days." "Oh? Do you have any idea where she went?" "I wish I did. She just..turned everything off and took off in the middle of the night. She seemed fine last I saw her. Didn't even dance around the idea of leaving town." "What about her fiance? Is he home?" "Oh, no. He's got some business type things to take care of in Los Angeles, I guess. Didn't really ask. Shouldn't be home until sometime next week if I remember correctly." As Sam sighed, he clicked the back of his pen and held it to a small notepad. "Any number or email we could use to contact her?" The man stifled a laugh. "If I had any of those things, I think I'd know where she is." I smiled at his reply, while my brother simply lowered the paper, looking a little embarrassed.

"Thank you, Mr. Novitske. We're sorry for troubling you," I stated as I turned back in the direction of my car. "It's no trouble at all, boys. Oh! Also, I apologize for my wife's behavior. She's got such a sweet spot for Denelle and is a little protective of her. You understand." We acknowledged his words with a gentle nod before he called out "You two take care, now!" as he returned to his home and as we left the scene, I had quickly smacked Sam in the chest, causing him to cry out, startled.

"What was that for?!" "Please tell me you noticed that!" "Notice what?" "Their names! Ross and Jackie?" He sighed, pushing past me. "If you're thinking of Friends it's _Ross_ and _Rachel_." For a moment, I simply stared at the back of his head with a blank expression, letting the gears run. "Wait, what? No! Not Friends you idiot! Jackie? Jack. Ross? Rose. How did you not see that!" By the look in his eyes, I can tell he definitely wasn't expecting that. "Are you seriously thinking about Titanic right now?" I replied with a lame shrug, speed walking my way to the driver's side and sliding in with ease.

"You've seen Titanic?" he questioned, looking completely amused by the thought. "Yes, okay?! I'll admit it! I've seen Titanic! And you know what? I watched it more than once!" Leaning into his door, he grinned with wide eyes as I attempted to defend myself.

"But I didn't have a choice! You were gone and there was nothing on TV except for a Titanic marathon, go figure. I'll probably watch it again, too! Wanna know why?" He gestured for me to continue, still smiling like an idiot.

"Because Rose is hot _and_ it's a classic!" I finished with my nose up in the air, looking smug and confident but the longer he stared at me in silence, the more I fell apart. I did my best to keep it together for a minute or two before finally shoving a stern finger in his face, demanding that he not tell a soul, which he agreed to.

* * *

**Eva POV**

All I could see was darkness. The sound of trickling water in the distance putting my rattled nerves to ease as I fought against it. I hated being in the dark. I saw Denelle's face every time I was wrapped in it. Her eyes staring coldly into mine or looking up towards the sky, never truly seeing the sight above. I would hear the gunshots echo in my head and would then trace the bruised skin on my temple that was thankfully hidden under thick hair and if someone did happen to spot it and question it, I'd laugh and tell them how someone hit me with their front door.

I was in recovery from that night. Physically and mentally.

Physically, I was fine. Leah had driven me home, insisting that she help me to the couch where she checked my only injury. To make sure I wasn't suffering from a concussion, she woke me up every hour and after a while she simply allowed me to sleep the day away. Which I happily did.

Mentally, I was struggling, but healing. It was a slow process, that's for sure. Everything from the feel of her hair, to the smell of her house haunted me whenever I let my guard down. If I felt something particularly soft, I'd jerk my hand away and every time I caught a whiff of cinnamon my body would grow tense. The nightmares were worse. For nights I would wake up in a cold sweat only to then imagine her at the foot of my bed before vanishing in the blink of an eye and Leah, who had decided to spend most of her time here, would keep me company on these certain nights. Telling me stupid jokes or really old stories that happened back in high-school and as I lay there waiting for sleep to take me, I question her. I ask how she's able to remain so calm during all of this and she simply says, "I'm handling it in my own way."

The next night, I noticed the stench of hard liquor on her breath.

But it was all fading, now. Denelle's cry of pain and the color of her blood were slipping away with time, along with Leah's temporary alcoholism.

With a little push, I had pulled myself away from the blackness, sighing out as my eyes adjusted to the misty, dimly lit room. I looked to my knees where hands rested between, fiddling with a blue loofah and tugging at it until it was deformed and nearly useless and with a flick of my wrist, I had thrown it into the tub that was quickly filling with hot water.

Deciding it was filled enough, I stood from my place on the toilet seat, moaning in annoyance as the skin of my thighs stuck to the cold surface until the last second. I stripped away my clothes, tossing them into the corner before cautiously stepping in, letting out a sigh of relief as my body was soon submerged.

With the water now turned off, I leaned back until the nape of my neck rested against the curve of the tub. Now left in silence, I went over the plan we had constructed in my head. It would be different this time and very unlike me in every way. Not that killing people wasn't unlike me.

Instead of breaking into a home, I would meet the target out in a public place and convince him to let me into his home. I would gain his trust and use it to my advantage.

I'd also have to dress like a whore. I was mostly upset about that part than killing the man, which worried me greatly. I didn't want this to become some easy task for me. I wanted it to be a struggle. I never want myself to go numb over the thought of taking a life, but in this moment, I wasn't as afraid as I was in the beginning. Could it be confidence? Could it be comfort in knowing that I was one step closer to avenging Tyler? Or could it be the one thing that I feared the most-could I be losing my humanity?

My eyes darted over to the shut door as a knock caught my attention.

"Yes?" I called out.

"Hey, I'm heading home for the night," Leah replied. "I'll probably be back tomorrow. Think you're good on your own tonight?" I nodded in reply, mentally slapping myself just afterwards for realizing she couldn't even see me. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

"You sure?"

With a slow and deep breath in through my nose, I replied in the exhale with "Yes."

My companion gave the door a final tap before saying goodbye and once she had reached the end of the hallway, I sunk lower into the water, mumbling, "I hope" before going under completely.

* * *

**Dean POV**

We never returned to the motel. It was a waste of time and gas so instead, we changed out of our suits at the nearest restroom and snuck out before anyone noticed. We roamed the town on foot for a while. Admiring the ins and outs of shops and eventually tracking down a restaurant called Common Grill. We sat down, looked at the prices and left to find another joint. The cost wasn't as bad as you would think but it was more than we were willing to spend at the moment. By the time we had found another place to eat and finished filling our stomachs, the sun had set. Feeling far too full, Sam was forced to slow down as his pace as I practically waddled behind him. Giving him the keys, I suggested he drive back to the house while I could sit in peace in the passenger's side, digesting and by the time he had parked the car once more, I was ready to go. Baby was left under the shade of trees as we sifted through the trunk, grabbing our weapons, salt just in case and flashlights. The trunk was carefully sealed up before we made our way to the back of Denelle's house, where Sam picked the lock of the glass doors, slipping into the home with me following close behind.

We were greeted by a well-kept home, though light dust began to collect over the once shiny surfaces and certain foods in the fridge had rotted. The place was without a doubt, barren. The only sound to keep us company were the sounds of our footsteps, breathing and the tick of a distant clock.  
Hoping to find a sign as to where Denelle vanished too, I leaned toward the trash can and removed the lid only to find that it was completely empty. Not the slightest shred of paper could be found. I ordered Sam to head upstairs to see what he could find, while I remained on the lower level, flipping through her novels or notebooks and still, nothing. Wherever this woman went, she sure as hell didn't want to be found, which only heightened the suspicion.

Sam carelessly trotted down the stairs, his heavy feet stomping on every step and with a sigh, he approached me with hands on his hips. "Bathroom is clean. No trash in there, either. Her bed was perfectly made." "Sounds like she likes cleaning." "Yet she would leave it to rot? That's another thing, Dean. She's got a few travel bags and suitcases in her storage closet. If she went somewhere, she managed to either forget them all, or own way more than any normal person would." With a lame shrug, I moved on to another section of the main floor, the tiny bathroom. "_Or_ she's a light traveler." "Yeah, _or_ that."

There wasn't a damn thing out of the ordinary in the bathroom. Nothing that stood out, but when the light of my flashlight danced over the window, I spotted the thinnest of black strings stuck in the corner of the window and even though it wouldn't tell me anything, I plucked it.

"Dean?" Sam called out.

"Yeah, what?" I replied lowly as I took a closer look at the thread, not finding anything particularly exciting about it.

"I might've found something."

My heart began to race as the words sunk in and without dropping the thread, I ran to meet him and hoped to find some big discovery but in reality it was the_ tiniest._

His flashlight was aimed at the door, focused on the boarder where a dark spot lay hidden. From afar, I first thought it was a bug but as I inched closer, I realized this speck had color. It was a dark and faded red.

It was what appeared to be blood.

I absent-mindedly began to roll the thread around in-between two fingers. The pieces of the puzzle starting to form in my mind.

"Looks like Ms. Williams didn't go on vacation after all."

**/Aaaahh I'd just like to thank you guys for sticking around ^u^ I have a job now so a lot of my time is taken up but that doesn't mean I'm going to give up on this story. I doubt I ever will though the lack of reviews is a little discouraging.**


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